Ever Present
by jackalope21
Summary: After sending away one of the only people who've been able to keep his erratic mind calm in order to keep her safe, how will Klaus come to terms with her return when everything in NOLA is getting so much more dangerous than before? A continuation to The Veil Between Love and Hate. This is going to be for season 2 of the Originals.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I've decided to break up the story. It was already hitting 75 chapters and the new season hasn't begun, so I've decided to put season 2 over here. For anyone just starting this story, it's a sequel to The Veil Between Love and Hate. This will be the same chapters from that story until chapter 11. Enjoy! **

Chapter 1

The plane ride home did little to calm K's mind. She was still reeling over her forced departure from New Orleans. It had been a while since she was compelled to do something and she hated it just as much as the first time. Nothing in the world could make you feel weaker than compulsion. It left you feeling disgusting.

K's body was tired when she walked through her front door. She opened her windows to air out the stale scent in her apartment and despite her feverishly thinking mind, her body moved slowly.

She didn't want to unpack, but it was habit for her to grab the same few things from her bags every time she went somewhere. She didn't covet much in the world, but the pieces she did were never far away. Besides, K had to be sure the antiques weren't injured someway in her cross-country trip.

Tossing her heavy bag onto her bed, K unzipped it and was met with the familiar sight of her leather book. It was wrapped in a loose fitting, tunic styled top in order to keep the crumbling pages from falling out. She lifted it and gently unwrapped the ancient piece. No sooner than she had, K noticed something peeking out from the top. Her eyes narrowed at the new piece of paper. It wasn't parchment like the others and far too new to have been there before. With a light tug, it slid effortlessly out of the book. Her name was written in script on the outside of the folded paper.

She knew who it was from immediately.

_Kalli,_

_I'm sure even now you're still cross with me. I understand entirely._

_I am sorry for what I've done, but I hope you realize I had no choice. You may think you're more than capable of handling whatever the other factions will inevitably throw in our direction, and you probably can, but I don't want to risk it. With Hope gone, you are the only other thing they can use against me. True they can still attack Elijah, but you're not an Original and it is our fight. I can't in good conscience ask you to fight a battle we started decades ago. I plan on this ending as soon as possible so you can come home once again, if you're still willing. _

_I am truly sorry, Kalliope, for everything that's happened to you because of me or my family. When this is over, when everyone is gone and the threat is eliminated, I pray you'll come back to New Orleans and we can all start again._

_I love you Kalli, a sentiment I no longer thought myself capable of. I hope you understand the reasons I've done what I've done._

_Eternally,_

_Klaus_

The letter was short and to the point, but it was a point K wasn't sure could penetrate her thick head. And yet she couldn't put it down. She kept reading a specific line over and over again. It was something he'd said to her on more than one occasion when she was alive, but something she never thought she'd hear again.

While slipping the letter into her things when she wasn't looking was sneaky, the more K read the letter, the more grateful she became for its existence. It helped her –in some strange way- to understand why he'd sent her away.

Regardless it hurt, but it didn't matter. For the moment she had no choice but to accept what was happening and hope that soon, the problem would be resolved.

What she didn't know –what none of them knew- was the threat in New Orleans was greater than any of them realized. Mikael was no longer a figment of Klaus and Elijah's imaginations. He was real, tangible and breathing. The Hunter of Vampires was brimming with rage for his children and he wasn't alone. Ester, their mother, was walking the Earth as well.

Klaus gravely underestimated the threats he thought were circling. Soon, he'd begin to wish he'd left New Orleans too, but he'd never regret sending K and Hope away. No matter what awaited him or Elijah, he'd never regret saving them.

It was the one redeeming thing he'd done in his life, one thing he could be proud of before his parents came to murder the bastard abomination they'd created.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

It was nearing sunrise and K still hadn't slept. Instead, she lay on her bed staring at the pendant that was nearly as old as she was. The fittings had changed through the years along with whatever it was strung to. Long ago it was a simple leather chord wrapped around an ugly stone. Eventually it was a leather chord threaded through a pendant made from nothing more than wrapping the stone in thin metal wire. Now –and as it had been for decades- the purple/blue stone rested in a specially formed fitting and hung from a beautiful silver chain made from steel because there was a slimmer chance of it snapping off.

The stone was once nearly two inches in size and a bit ugly in its raw form, but had long since been whittled down into something more manageable and pretty. Evidently the spell remained despite its ever changing size which she was grateful for.

The beautiful stone swung gently from the chain threaded through her fingers. It caught the growing light and glinted with all manner of pretty colors. K didn't know why it held so much of her attention or what had prompted her to stare at it. Somehow, she assumed, it was the perfect representation of her long life.

When she first received it, the stone was raw and new, just like her. Now, it was polished, refined and had come into its own.

_Such a silly thing,_ she thought to herself. _That my life can be summed up by a little rock…_

The first real rays of sun began to peek through her wide windows. A beam touched her hand and immediately her skin bubbled. K hissed and pulled her hand down onto her chest. She glared lightly at the window. It wasn't the sun's fault it hurt, but it was a hell of an inconvenience.

Kalli slipped her necklace back on before the sun could finish making its way into her home and rose from her bed. A small wooden box –not much bigger than a jewelry box- sat within the top drawer of her dresser. She retrieved it and opened the creaking lid.

Inside were trinkets too cumbersome to place inside her book, things like a doll given to her by Emily when the young witch was only five years old, a funky necklace Sheila had given her from back in the 70s and a small chunk of purple/blue rock that was cut from the one hanging around her neck. K took it and eyed the object no bigger than a dime. She glanced briefly to the window and ducked into a shadow to conduct her experiment.

Removing her necklace, K gripped the random piece of stone firmly in her fist and took a deep breath before shoving it into the light. She waited for the burn, but nothing came. The spell was still intact. After all, Theana had enchanted the rock, not a piece of jewelry like everyone else. It bore to reason pieces of the rock would work just as well, and that's what K was counting on.

Putting the spare piece in her pocket, K placed her necklace back on and readied herself for the day. She was going to do something she'd been thinking about for decades. It was the only way she could ensure that she was as protected from the sun as she ever could be. She knew it was only a matter of time before someone realized it was her necklace and not a ring that protected her and even if they didn't, she had years of close calls to prove a necklace wasn't the wisest idea.

If things in New Orleans were bad enough when she got back –and she did plan to go back soon- she'd need every bit of protection she could muster. Hell, there was more than one time she thought of a way to protect her heart from stakes, but other than ripping open her chest and somehow encasing it in steel, she wasn't sure how it was possible, so any other thing she could do to safeguard herself was top priority.

After all, there always seemed to be a war on the horizon.

~!~

After grabbing a quick breakfast, K made her way into town. In her world, the Underworld or the Supernatural world (whichever people chose to call it) word travels quickly about people, monsters, villains and heroes. All they had were the words of others to go on, reputations and the like. It wasn't as though monsters had social media sights. Well… _most_ didn't.

Because of the rumor mill that was always churning, K knew there was someone in Beacon Hills who might be willing to help her with what she wanted to do. Hospitals and doctors weren't an option for something like her and she knew it, so someone associated with her world was the only real option.

The bell above the door chimed when she entered the small office and alerted those in the back to the newcomer. Dogs barked and birds squawked from wherever they were being held. It was grating to the young woman with sensitive ears.

A moment passed and a young man emerged from the back. He smiled warmly and K found herself returning the sentiment. He was a cute young man or boy rather. She could tell he wasn't much more than eighteen and that was possibly guessing too high.

"Hi." He greeted as he took his place behind the countertop. He glanced around and noticed she didn't have a pet. His smile faltered, but he remained kind. "Can I help you with something?"

There was a distinct shift in his demeanor that didn't go unnoticed. K didn't remark on it however. Even with the overwhelming dog smell coming from the back, werewolves held a different scent all their own. She wondered if she smelled different to him too…

"I'm looking for Doctor Deaton." She told him. "I was told he works here."

A body soon appeared in the doorway. It drew K's gaze. Another man -older than the first, but unlikely older than thirty- loomed in the doorway a few feet from the counter. He didn't bother smiling or putting forth a false sense of politeness which K didn't truly expect.

"You were told correctly." He replied. His dark eyes darted along her and she could tell he was trying to figure out what and who she was. "Scott," his eyes shifted to his employee. "Can you finish feeding the animals, please?"

Scott looked from his boss to K and then back again.

"You sure?"

Deaton smiled as warmly as he could, but it was forced. He nodded and Scott did as he was told, leaving the two of them to talk amongst themselves. Once the young man was gone, however, Deaton's smile faded immediately.

"What can I do for you?" he asked as he stood at the countertop where Scott had once been.

While the statement might have been polite, the tone was everything but. Again, K expected as much.

"I was hoping," she said. K stepped closer until she could comfortably rest her hands on the countertop. "I could borrow your services. I'd pay of course."

"And which services are those, exactly?" He didn't bother hiding his skepticism.

K chewed on the inside of her cheek. Being coy wasn't her strong suit, but she had to be delicate with a stranger. If she was like the Mikaelsons, K would have simply forced Deaton to do what she wanted, but she wasn't…

"I require surgery," she said bluntly. "And hospitals aren't an option for people like me."

Deaton seemed to relax, but only marginally. He was never truly comfortable around the supernatural and those he was had to earn that level of trust.

"What kind of surgery?" he asked. His curiosity was beginning to win out.

K reached into her pocket and retrieved the dime sized stone.

"I need you to implant this." She said.

Deaton's brows came together. He held out his hand and K set the gemstone within his palm without being asked.

Scott had finished feeding the animals like he was told to, but that didn't mean he wasn't spying too. He could tell by the way Deaton reacted that the stranger wasn't the normal kind of customer. He'd never seen her before which wasn't entirely unheard of, but there was something off about her. He couldn't place it and that coupled with the way his boss ushered him off, Scott was sure to keep his ears open.

When he was done with the animals, he crept closer to the doorway to spy. He'd remained behind the doorframe until K said she wanted an implant of some kind. The odd request made Scott peer around the corner and see what she was handing his boss. Scott was as confused as Deaton.

"A gemstone?" he asked. K nodded.

Deaton began to examine the small purple and blue stone. It was beautiful, but not nearly as polished as the one hanging from her neck.

"Tanzanite." He said as he looked over it. His eyes shifted to her. "Hardly valuable enough to be hidden away in someone's body. Where exactly were you planning on putting it?"

He offered her the stone. K took it gingerly once again and said something he never thought he'd hear.

"I want you to put it in my heart."

Both Deaton and Scott's faces fell. K remained calm and composed, as though what she was asking him was completely reasonable.

"I'm sorry, but did you just ask me to put a stone in your heart?"

"Yes, I did."

"You're aware that this is a veterinary office, aren't you?" Deaton seemed to be having more trouble than she thought understanding, but she nodded regardless. "And you're asking me to perform open-heart surgery."

"Obviously you operate on animals, so how it this much different? You have the tools and I'm assuming you don't work on your patients in a hovel."

Deaton bristled a bit at her veiled insult.

"You're a little bigger than a poodle." He quipped. "I don't have the equipment here for something this big and assuming the surgery didn't somehow kill you, you want to put a gemstone in your heart. You wouldn't make it off the table."

"I'll heal." She replied shortly under her breath.

"Who told you I would be willing to do something this extreme?"

"No one." She told him honestly. "I've just heard you're used to dealing with people on the _other_ side of normal."

Deaton took a deep breath and sighed. He found himself wondering if she understood what she was asking him to do. Whatever her reasons, she seemed more than determined to have it done and Deaton began to feel some kind of obligation to talk her out of it. If he let her leave and she went to someone else who hacked her up without regard and she died because of it, Deaton knew he'd feel a level of guilt.

"Look," he sighed. Deaton leaned a bit closer so he could speak to her in hushed tones. Why he felt the need he didn't know, but he did it regardless. "Supernatural or not, a beating heart can't survive with an obstruction rattling around inside it. This _will_ kill you."

K mimicked his position on the countertop and soon the two were little more than a foot apart.

"Who said my heart was beating?" she asked softly.

Before Deaton could ask what she meant, K let her eyes shift and her features darken. Deaton stood straighter as he stared at her.

The moment her bloodshot eyes appeared, they were gone. K regained her previous position and continued to watch the man staring at her, hoping she'd see the agreement she needed.

Deaton eyed her as he wrestled with his own thoughts. Vampires were dangerous and while they weren't worse than anything he'd come up with before, he now had new light to cast on her request. Scott on the other hand hadn't seen the shift and felt himself wondering what had transpired.

"What's the significance of the stone, may I ask?" his voice had turned clinical.

"Protection."

He nodded slowly.

"You're showing an awful lot of trust to a complete stranger. What's to stop me from simply removing your heart while you're unconscious?"

"Nothing." She answered honestly. "You could kill me and I'd never know. But, I'm hoping you won't. I came here hoping you were the man I've heard about, the one that's willing to help humans and monsters without bias."

"As I said, a lot of trust." He repeated. "You have me at a disadvantage. You seem to know a lot about me, and I know nothing about you."

"My name's Kalli." She told him. She shifted a bit in her spot. "And that's all that really matters." Deaton's face went blank, but K didn't remark on it. "Are you going to help me or not?"

"Come back after closing." He said, surprising all those who heard him. "I'll see what I can do."

K nodded and left without another word on the matter. She hoped he'd do it because she needed another line of protection. After she found a way back to New Orleans, K wanted to be sure someone wouldn't simply snatch her necklace away and leave her to burn. Again, it was after multiple close calls that K knew she had no choice but to do something about it now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

K returned after closing like Deaton had asked her to. Despite appearing comfortable and confident in what she asked the doctor to do to her, K was anything but. She trusted him as much as she did her and that was an almost immeasurable amount.

She stepped around the back of the building where the fire exit door rested. She knocked and a moment later Deaton opened it.

"Come in."

He stood aside and let her walk into the operating room directly behind him. The door shut with a heavy clunk. Deaton stepped around her and stood across from K on the other side of the silver table. He placed his hands gently on the surface.

"Now, you're aware of what you're asking me to do."

"Of course."

"And you're sure you still want me to do this?"

K nodded. Deaton took a deep breath and nodded to himself.

"Alright," he said under his breath. Deaton bent at the waist and reached for something. He handed her a folded piece of fabric. "I'll need you to put this on." K opened the fabric and noticed it was a hospital gown. "I'll need the opening in front, of course."

"Of course." She mumbled under her breath. She wasn't enthusiastic about it and he could tell.

K turned to walk into another back room to change when Deaton spoke up quickly.

"Why the heart?" He asked before she was gone. K turned to face him. "Why choose the heart? Why not a muscle in your leg, or your arm?"

"Because those can be damaged too easily."

"So can your heart."

"Yeah but, if someone stakes me in the heart, whether or not it hits the stone doesn't really matter, does it?" she asked with a hint of a smirk.

Deaton returned the action and nodded.

"Fair enough."

K again set off towards the back room and that time wasn't stopped. She changed her clothing quickly, but left her pants and shoes on beneath the thin dressing gown. She'd never been in one before and she didn't like it. As a matter of fact, aside from visiting, she'd never been in a hospital or to a doctor. It was foreign territory that she wished she didn't have to go through alone. Perhaps it sounded childish considering what she was, but K had never truly been alone…

When she emerged, Deaton was no longer alone. A woman stood beside him along with the young man from earlier in the day, Scott. K was apprehensive and they noticed it quickly.

"This is Melissa McCall," Deaton introduced. "Scott's mother. She's a nurse."

"Hi." Melissa greeted as best she could. K was more than capable of smelling her apprehension.

"Hello." She replied in return.

"She's here to assist me," Deaton explained as he waved his hand towards the table. "Nothing more."

"Mhm…" K mumbled.

She stepped forward and sat on the edge of the cold steel table.

"Your jewelry." He said.

K's jaw tensed and she gave him a stern eye.

"You'll get it back," he told her as he held out a small metallic bowl. "But your necklace might get in the way."

"I can't."

"Nothing is going to happen to it." Melissa tried to reassure her.

"No, I mean I can't." K pointed to the windows lining the top of the wall. It was still daylight outside and there was no way of knowing how much of the light in the room was artificial versus natural. "I'll burn."

"Ah," Deaton realized her apprehension quickly. He'd heard rumors about vampires who could walk in the light thanks to jewelry. Apparently her necklace fit that bill. "Then I'll need to tape it down."

He set the bowl aside and searched through the things Melissa had brought with her to help him. That was the main reason she was there. While he had a remarkable amount of tools at his disposal, there were a few things that would only work on a human body and for that he needed Melissa. Scott was his insurance, his supernatural strength should something go wrong.

Deaton motioned for her to lean forward and she did, allowing him to tape the majority of her necklace at the back of her neck and out of the way. As he did, K reached into her back pocket and produced an envelope. When she sat upright again, she offered it to him. Deaton smiled and shook his head.

"There's no need for that."

Her brows came together as she stared at him.

"I don't understand. Then why would you do this for free?"

"Because I've heard of you too." He told her simply. K's brows come together in confusion. "You'd be hard pressed to find someone who hasn't heard of the Bennetts' guardian angel."

A weak smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"So no, you don't need to pay me. But, if you're feeling philanthropic, I'm sure Melissa and Scott wouldn't mind." He said. K's eyes moved to the woman I the scrubs. "After all, this isn't exactly something they train you for in school."

K smiled kindly to the woman who was still a little nervous.

"Fair enough." She agreed. "Here."

"Oh no, I couldn't." Melissa told her.

"Please, I insist." K pressed kindly. Melissa apprehensively reached for the envelope. "He's right. This isn't going to be like anything you've done before."

"Well, thank you, but I've been around my fair share of werewolves." She smiled crookedly. When she felt the weight of the envelope, she couldn't hide her shock. "How much is in here?"

"Ten thousand dollars." She replied. Both Scott and Melissa's face fell and their jaws went slack. "And, I'm not a werewolf."

"Ten…" Melissa muttered. She opened the envelope and say two hundred fifty dollar bills staring back at her.

"Gemstone please." Deaton said, willing to proceed while Melissa and Scott contemplated the large amount of tax free cash they'd just been given. K reached into her pocket and handed it to him. "Now, I don't suppose you know the dosage of anesthetic that would work on you, do you?"

"None, I'm afraid. They don't work on us. Not any I've come across at least." She told him. "But you won't need it."

"Why's that?"

She gave him a warning look which meant he might not like what she was about to do. Scott and Melissa caught the action and began to pay closer attention.

"Just remember, you have about forty-five minutes to an hour before I wake up, okay?" she warned. K threw her legs up onto the table and positioned herself as best she could. "And don't forget I heal quickly."

"I'm aware." He said, watching her intently.

K nodded reassuringly to herself. Placing a hand at the back of her head and the other pressed to her chin, K grimaced knowing what she was going to have to do. Without warning, she snapped her head to the side and crumbled uselessly.

Melissa shrieked at the sight, Scott was temporarily struck dumb, but Deaton seemed capable of movement. He caught K a moment before she would have hit the table and guided her the rest of the way down. He pressed his fingers to the side of her throat on instinct, but of course felt nothing.

"Well then," he turned to his assistants. "I believe we have a time table to keep."

~!~

K awoke with a start. She gasped for air and shot up from her position on the steel table. Her eyes darted around the room out of both habit and fear, but recognition soon took hold. With a sigh, she turned her head from side to side to loosen the stiffness.

"Ah," Deaton chimed as he stepped into the back room. "You're awake."

"Is it done?" she asked. K glanced to her chest and noticed traces of blood on the gown, but little else.

"It's done." He nodded. "It's in your left ventricle, in case you were wondering."

He was lightly joking and K smiled because of it. She met his gaze.

"Thank you, really." She told him sincerely. "Most people wouldn't be willing to help a vampire."

"I'm not most people." He replied kindly.

K nodded her agreement and threw her legs over the edge of the table. She stood without trouble and noticed her clothing folded and resting on a nearby table top. Without bothering to say anything else, she grabbed her garments and proceeded to the room she'd changed in before the operation.

As she pulled on her clothing, K was more than capable of feeling the newest addition to her chest. It was an odd sensation to try and explain to someone, but she could akin it to something in her shoe. While it didn't hurt, there was the distinct knowledge that it was there.

K was I the process of threading her arms through her jacket when she came back into the 'operating room'. Deaton glanced up but continued to clean his workspace.

"Thanks again." She told him as she adjusted her clothing. K had tossed the dressing gown in one of the biohazard trashcans since it was useless and covered in blood. Deaton turned to face her as she spoke. "Really."

"Glad to help." He replied. "But I'm curious as to what you think a gemstone will protect you from."

"The sun." she answered simply. "It's the other half of this." She pointed to her necklace. "Hopefully it'll work."

"Well, best of luck."

K gave him a nod of gratitude and stepped towards the EXIT door over her shoulder. She had pressed her palm to the bar when Deaton added one final thing.

"I feel I should warn you," he said when the door was cracked. K gave him her attention. His face was serious and blank. "I don't know how long you've been in town, or lived here, but there have been a rash of murders lately." Her brows came together in apprehension for what he might say. Part of her was concerned he might blame her. It was impossible, of course, considering she'd been in Beacon Hills for little more than thirty hours. "Assassins are exterminating the supernatural." Her expression turned cold. "I'm not sure if you're on their list, but be weary."

K mulled over his statement. It was unlikely anyone knew she was there, or even what she was, but there was always the chance. She didn't survive as long as she had by being naive and underestimating unseen threats. K was wise enough to know it didn't always take skill. Sometimes, it just took luck or a misstep on her part for something to go wrong.

"Thank you." She told him finally. "I'll keep an eye out."

Deaton nodded and went back to his work. K had stepped through the door, but felt herself pause for a moment. Deaton had been nothing but polite and cordial to her when he had no reason to be and it struck a chord.

"If you need any help," K found herself saying before she could stop herself. Deaton seemed just as surprised. "Let me know. I'll do what I can."

He nodded slowly and replied, "I will."

And with their little agreement solidified, K left. She didn't know why she offered her help to a total stranger. But, then again, considering he'd spent an hour tinkering around in her chest, perhaps they weren't really strangers anymore. And she did feel she owed him. Deaton helped her when he had no reason to, an action that became a favor when he refused the money, so she wanted to repay him somehow.

Besides, K had a need to feel useful. After being discarded and forced to feel weaker than she was, Kalli wanted to prove to herself she was still a fighter, a predator and dangerous.

Maybe Deaton would contact her, maybe he wouldn't, but K found herself hoping he did. While she intended entirely to go back to New Orleans, she knew she had to create some kind of life in Beacon Hills or risk insanity otherwise.

~~~!~~~


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

K had made it home before she realized she didn't have her cell phone. She decided to change quickly before returning to the clinic. If Deaton wasn't there when she arrived, she'd break in. She doubted he'd mind. K didn't plan on stealing anything of his and thievery was pretty easy when you weren't human. Hell, it was how she managed to keep her and many generations of Bennetts fed and housed through the centuries.

K threw on a dress for the night out she planned on having. She was going to have a meal, a real meal, and the best way she knew how was to give some idiot the false idea that he was going to get lucky. After feeding, she'd heal and wipe his memory like every other meal she'd had. But the dress always helped. It was hunting in the 21st century.

When she arrived at the vet clinic, K parked in the alleyway on instinct. If she had to break in, she didn't want some nosy busy-body to ID her car.

No sooner than she reached the back door to knock, it flew open. A young man oozing yellow gunk from his mouth raced out into the world. He looked rabid, a statement given more credence by his werewolf stench. On reflex, she reared back and hit him square in the jaw. He collapsed.

K rose a brow to the curious sight. When she glanced up, she noticed Deaton, Derek and another young man she didn't recognize standing in the doorway. They seemed as surprised as her though she doubted it was for the same reason.

Seeing none of them move immediately, K knelt down. She took the blond young man's left arm in her hand and strung it around the back of her neck. With no effort, she stood and took him with her. The shock in the onlookers' face became more prominent. It was difficult for it not to when they were confronted with a young woman who looked like she should have started her senior year in high school in a cocktail dress, four inch heels and a full grown human being strung over her shoulders as though he was a purse.

"I assume this belongs to you?" she asked Deaton.

"Yes," he nodded. He recovered from the odd sight faster than the others. "Please," he stepped aside and gave her the room to walk into the clinic. "If you would."

K approached the door and had to maneuver passed the statues that didn't seem to want to move.

"On the table." Deaton said when she made it passed the two.

She did as he suggested and laid the now quivering young man on the table.

"Kalli," a new voice chimed. K turned and noticed Peter stepping forward with a smirk. "Isn't it?"

"It is." She nodded. "Peter."

His smirk turned into a wide smile. One formed briefly on her lips too.

"You guys, he isn't breathing."

The sentence forced everyone else back into the current situation and jostled Peter and K's mild flirtation.

Deaton leaned over the young man on the table while K held his shoulders. If his earlier reaction was anything to go by, he'd need to be held down.

With a firm hand, Deaton ran his scalpel along a swollen and oozing wound in the center of the kid's chest. Yellow smoke billowed briefly from the injury and almost immediately he began to breathe.

"Is that…" K leaned forward a bit and sniffed the air. She grimaced. "Wolf's Bane?"

"A rare strand." Deaton answered.

"I'll say. It's supposed to be extinct." She said.

"How do you know that?" Derek asked from behind her.

K turned. Derek was again eying her sternly. It was the same look he'd given her when they first met briefly in the hall of her apartment building. She found herself wondering if he ever smiled. Derek noticed her examining him silently and his glower deepened. He even went so far as to cross his arms over his chest.

"Are you always this angry?" she asked. While there was sarcasm in her voice, it was a serious question.

Derek didn't reply and she didn't think he would.

"Hey guys," the young man she didn't know muttered. "I think… I think he's saying something."

Attention again shifted to the kid with the yellow ooze. Sure enough, he was muttering something under his breath. Deaton and the conscious teenager leaned closer. K had no need to.

"The sun. The moon. The truth." She repeated easily.

Deaton sighed. He glanced briefly to K and she knew in that moment he recognized the saying like she had.

"Three things cannot long remain hidden." He said somberly. "The sun, the moon, and the truth."

"What's that mean?" the pale teen asked.

"It's a Buddhist mantra." K added.

Something unsaid moved between a few of the men gathered. K didn't know the significance of it, nor was she entirely concerned either.

"Satomi." Peter sighed.

"Judging by the ominous tone her name was uttered, I'm assuming this is where I'll take my leave." K said.

Deaton turned to her with an odd stare, "Why are you here?"

While the phrase could have easily been considered rude, Deaton didn't hold a tone other than curious so K didn't snap at him when he asked.

"My phone." She replied simply as she walked into the back room she'd used to change in earlier. She held it up when she approached again. "I left it here when I was topless."

"You what?"

The phrase was asked in chorus which caused her to giggle a bit. She shook her head as she mused to herself and checked her phone for any missed messages or calls. She didn't know who she'd expect to have called her considering most of the people she spoke to refused to speak back, but it was habit regardless.

"Well," she sighed when she looked back to the room of men staring at her. "Not that this wasn't fun, but I have an engagement to be getting to. Gentlemen,"

K bowed sarcastically to the gathered crowd with a flourished movement. It caused the few not too deeply involved to smile a bit.

"Kalli," Deaton said before she had the chance to stand upright completely. She tilted her head a bit to the side and awaited his obvious question. "Does your offer from earlier still stand?"

Her eyes shifted to the blond teenager sleeping on the steel table she'd occupied earlier in the day before shifting once again to the vet. A smile tugged at the corner of her blood red lips.

"Definitely." She grinned. Before leaving, K walked towards Deaton's desk. She took a piece of paper and pen and wrote down her phone number. She didn't know why she hadn't given it to him earlier, but it seemed necessary now. "My number. Give me a call if you need anything."

"I will." He told her.

With a wave, K turned and headed towards the door. She was gone just as suddenly as she'd arrived.

~~!~~

K was in her apartment. She was cleaning –perhaps the only other thing that hadn't changed in her life alongside her appearance- and trying to keep from being bored in doing so. Her hunting trip wasn't as fruitful as she would have hoped and ended up becoming little more than a snack. She knew she'd have to start visiting the vampire's version of a grocery store soon or risk getting hungry enough she truly hurt someone.

Being such a fan of music, K had Elvis Presley blaring on her iPhone while it rested in a speaker dock. She'd gone through his original work and was listening to the 'party mixes'. Honestly, a couple of them weren't bad.

The remixed version of _Bossa Nova Baby_ was blaring. She was dancing to it as she swept her apartment, ignorant to really anything happening around her, when someone knocked on her door. K spun on her heel to face it. She strained her ears to hear passed the music before taking a single step.

Three. There were three heartbeats standing on the other side of the steel door. That was a good sign. It meant they were alive.

She calmed marginally and made her way to answer it just as another trio of bangs echoed. She set her broom aside and unlatched the door. With a heave that amounted to little more than a wrist flick, K slid her door open. She was surprised.

"Scott… Derek… and…" she hesitated when she saw the young man from the night before. "I'm sorry, but I don't know your name."

"Stiles." He said nervously. He was moving as awkwardly as he was the first time she'd seen him. Like Derek with his annoyance, K wondered briefly if it was his normal state. "My name's Stiles."

K nodded and smiled slightly to try and calm him before looking to the teenager who seemed to have something to say.

"What can I do for you?" she asked kindly. She didn't have to bother asking how they knew where to find her. The reason was standing beside them, still brooding like always.

"We need to talk to you." He said as though she couldn't have figured it out. "But…" Scott glanced down the open halls. "It might be better if we do this inside."

"Fair enough." She nodded and stepped aside. K waved them in and the trio entered and moved hesitantly into the open floor plan while K closed her door. "So! What can I do for you boys?"

K stepped passed them easily and moved towards the shelf to turn her music down.

"Are you listening to Elvis?" Stiles asked with a face. It wasn't disgust or shock, but a mild confusion to her selection.

"Yeah." She nodded. "I love him. Such a great performer. Seriously, you should've seen him live."

The three turned slowly to look at her. K knew what she looked like to them. She looked like a teenage Rosie the Riveter with her hair tied up into a bandana, a black wife beater, very short shorts and bare feet. She was sure she looked odd to them.

"You saw him perform live?" Scott asked in a deadpan voice.

"I'm older than I look." She smiled. "So what can I do for you?"

K jumped up and sat on the bar between her living room and kitchen area and reached for the drink. She waited for them to speak as she took a sip of her scotch.

"A little early, isn't it?" Derek asked sarcastically.

She raised a brow to him.

"Seriously, you are too young to look so pissed off all the time."

Derek squared himself on her again, like he had at the clinic.

"I'm older than I look."

K couldn't fight the smile when he regurgitated her previous statement back at her.

"No," she finally said after musing for a moment. She still bore the smile. "To answer you question. It helps with the cravings."

"Cravings?" Stiles muttered. He repeated the word like he was afraid of what she might mean.

Scott leaned closer to his friend and whispered, "She's supernatural too."

Stiles' face fell as he stared at K. She only continued to smile.

"Sure," he replied after a moment. "Of course you are. That explains it then."

"Explains what, exactly?" K asked. She shifted her gaze to Scott. "You still haven't told me why you're here."

"This."

He reached into his back pocket and retrieved a piece of folded paper. Scott offered it to her so K slid from her perch and took it. When she opened it up, there was a list of names staring back at her. None of them were familiar until she spotted the last one. _Kalliope Tantum 20._ Her eyes slowly glided upward.

"What is this?" she asked with an edge to her words. No one should have known her whole name, especially when it included a surname she'd only adopted a month ago. It made no sense.

"A dead-pool." Scott said. "It's a hit list."

"I know what a dead-pool is." She said quickly under her breath. "But why am _I_ on it?"

"Because whoever wrote it knows you're supernatural and in Beacon Hills." Derek told her.

"And you just _guessed_ that this was my real name?"

Derek cocked a brow. That was her answer. Yeah, they did guess.

When Scott saw the weird name, he asked Derek if it sounded familiar. The young man told him no, but he knew a Kalli who was obviously supernatural. Scott seemed to come to the same conclusion seconds later and felt foolish for not recognizing the nickname sooner. It didn't take a whole lot to put together and her confirmation simply meant he'd been right.

K chewed on the inside of her cheek. She stepped forward and through the trio who'd come to her door. She walked to her living room and found herself pacing for a moment to gather her thoughts. Someone knew she was there, someone who wanted her dead. Her list of enemies wasn't long, but the list she'd acquired since acquainting herself with the Mikaelsons… that list was substantially longer.

"Twenty thousand?" she asked as she turned to face them again, her back towards the large windows that covered the wall and led to her balcony. "Or million?"

Scott's brows came together slightly. Of all the questions he thought she'd ask, that hadn't been among them.

"Million."

K thought about it for a moment and did the math while she returned to pacing. 996 years of life summed up in 20 millions dollars. If she worked it out, that came to little more than 20 thousand dollars a year, 386 dollars a week, and 55 dollars a day which came to little more than 2 dollars an hour. She was suddenly offended when she spun on her heel to face them once again.

"Two dollars?" she snapped. "My life is worth two dollars an hour?!"

The three stared at her in confusion. They hadn't broken the cash down like she had.

"What the hell are you talking about? That's twenty _million_." Derek said.

"This," she held up the paper now crunched in her fist. "Is an insult. This basically whittles down to my life being worth two dollars an hour since the time I was born until now. That's… are you _kidding_ me?"

K was suddenly irate. She was babbling about something none of the strangers really understood, but it was true. Suddenly the bounty was more important than the bounty hunter.

"You're kind of crazy," Stiles mumbled as he took a step back. "Aren't you?"

She rolled her eyes at him comment and tried not to let her irritation dominate the situation. Chewing on her bottom lip, K offered Scott back the list.

"So what now?" she asked the teenager.

He hesitated to speak. Scott glanced briefly to Derek and Stiles before back to K. He wasn't sure how to proceed with the rest of the conversation, but Derek was more than willing to be blunt about it.

"What are you?"

K cocked a brow and turned her eye to the young man with his arms still crossed over his chest.

"Not one to mince words, are you Mr. Hale?"

"No." he said simply. "So what are you? What makes you worth twenty million dollars?"

"Maybe they just have good taste." She offered sarcastically. Derek openly rolled his eyes and K smiled lightly to herself. She found herself scratching her ear when she looked to Scott and said as innocently as she could, "I'm complicated."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Later that night when the others had gone home, K decided she had to go 'shopping'. The meeting with the guys ended without her telling them what she was. K didn't feel like it was entirely necessary. What she was didn't matter. They knew she wasn't human, and that she was on the list, so that was enough to proceed with the situation.

Scott told her to be careful and to watch out for people she didn't know. He even told her to be careful around ones she did. She thought it was adorable that he was so worried about someone he didn't know. Poor little thing. It made her want to pinch his cheeks and tell him everything would be alright. It was obvious he had taken everything on as his responsibility.

K pulled into the hospital parking lot and readied herself to go inside. She needed blood bags and this was the closest hospital to her home. Besides, she had to spread out her acquisitions. K was smart enough to take only two or three bags at a time, something that was harder to be noticed and less likely to get anyone in trouble whether it was a nurse for filing wrong or a patient who needed the blood she took. As it was, she was out of her current supply and needed more or she'd start hunting locals.

Before heading in, she opened her glove box and sifted through the small black bag within. They were her IDs. It was difficult for anyone to live as long as she did during the more modern times without having some kind of identification. True she could compel anyone to forget her face, but sometimes it just wasn't worth the effort and she just didn't feel like it. Other times having a paper trail was nice too.

She grabbed the ID she had that would give her hospital access. It was a nursing ID, one that said she was allowed to be there. Seriously, vampires didn't give the plastic chunks enough credit. She could go through and flash a badge so much faster than pulling people aside and compelling them.

Stringing it around her neck, K set off for the hospital under the guise of borrowing blood bags she needed for her clinic. As she trudged up the steps, K didn't realize she'd been spotted.

"Kalli!" a familiar voice called from behind. She turned and noticed Melissa approaching with another woman at her side. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh…" she hesitated to tell the woman what she'd come to get. Despite Melissa having done her a great favor, there was always apprehension on K's part when telling someone the truth about what she was. It was the look of disgust she got when strangers first found out that bothered her.

Melissa glanced down and noticed her badge. She raised a skeptical brow to the young woman.

"Is that real?" she asked, pointing to the nursing ID.

"Yes and no." K replied sheepishly. "I'm classified, if that's what you're wondering."

"Uh-huh…" she muttered. Melissa was eying K with that special motherly look that let the vampire know she sensed something was being hidden. "Well, do you need me to help you find something?" Melissa slowly began to ring her hands. "I kind of want to stay busy."

K eyed her curiously. She was obviously nervous about something, but K didn't feel she had the right to ask.

"You wouldn't happen to know where your blood storage is… would you?" K found herself asking before she could stop herself.

Both women gave her the skeptical/surprised look K hated.

"Why would you need to know where that is?" Melissa asked.

K's eyes instinctively fell to the older woman she'd never seen. She wasn't about to say anything in front of a complete stranger and everyone seemed to sense it. But instead of K answering, the stranger surprised them all by doing so for her.

"It's been a long time since I've met someone older than myself." She said with a very proper accent.

K cocked a brow in surprise -an expression Melissa soon shared- as they both looked at the woman with dark hair.

"You're…" K pressed herself to examine the stranger closer. "Not human."

She shook her head. "Kitsune."

"Oh," a small smile tugged at the corner of K's lips. "I haven't met one of your kind in… centuries."

"How long?" Melissa asked. One particular word in that statement resonated with her.

"And perhaps just as long since I've met a vampire." The Kitsune replied. While she wasn't being rude, there was a hint of weary and caution in her words. It was a common tone K had grown used to. "Noshiko Yukimura."

"Kalliope Tantum."

She didn't know what in her prompted her to introduce herself so formally, but something about Noshiko brought it would.

"Call me Kalli." She felt the need to add.

"You're a vampire." Melissa said. She drew the young woman's eyes and K could see understanding wash through her. "That explains more than I thought it would." K forced a weak smile and nodded when something else donned on the nurse. "And why you'd need the blood storage…"

"Yeah…" she mumbled. "Better than the alternative though, right?"

Melissa found herself nodding slowly. It took her a moment to come to the realization that vampires were real, but considering the creatures she found herself surrounded by, perhaps vampires weren't so out of the norm.

"Okay, well, sure. I can show you around a little bit." She suddenly offered. "Like I said, I need to keep busy."

K smiled her thanks and alongside Noshiko, the trio made their way into the hospital.

~!~

"So, how many of these things do you need?" Melissa asked as she led Noshiko and K into the refrigerated storage. She was nervous about too much stock missing and somehow being blamed for it.

"I only need three bags." K told her with an embarrassed smile.

She opened her 'purse' which turned out to be lined with the same material as a lunch bag. It would keep the blood cool until she could get home. Melissa was surprised she found herself impressed by K's readiness.

"And I do pay for these," K added as she opened one of the clear glass doors to retrieve a few bags. "Sort of."

"How can you pay for blood bags?" Noshiko asked with a raised brow. "It's not as though this is a grocery store… for most."

K glared lightly at the older woman and tried not to act offended despite feeling it.

"I donate to the hospitals I take blood from." She said simply. "Substantially if it makes you feel any better."

The two were sending small, biting jabs at one another, but it was to be expected. Melissa didn't understand, but they did. Again, K expected it. She'd received it from many others and knew some of it was from a mild form of jealousy. Vampires were unrivaled in many ways. Then again, there was a legitimate disgust too. After all, she survived by drinking the blood of other living creatures.

Having her three bags, K followed Melissa and Noshiko back into the hospital. Without warning, the lights began to flicker. Melissa froze immediately.

"Oh god…" she muttered.

Noshiko and K didn't understand her fear. Hospitals had backup power -it was law- so they didn't understand her worry. Before they could ask, Melissa started off down the hall.

"What's wrong?" K asked as she continued to follow the nurse.

"This isn't good." Melissa replied.

"But you have generators, right? All hospitals do."

"Yeah, but that's not the problem."

"Does this happen often?" Noshiko asked.

"Only when something supernatural is attacking." Melissa sighed.

She reached the door she sought and opened it wide. Three laptops were set up, but whoever was meant to be there wasn't. Noshiko and Melissa shared worried glances.

"Melissa," K snapped as she and Noshiko began to speed walk through the halls once again. She could smell their fear and it burned her nose. When the nurse didn't turn, K reached out and grabbed her arm. Melissa spun on her heel. "What's wrong?"

Melissa's brows were pulled together. She shifted her weight uncomfortably on her feet and weighed her options. She didn't know what or if she should tell the young woman. Then again, perhaps she could help. Melissa had to be optimistic that even a stranger –a supernatural stranger at that- would be willing to offer help.

"There's someone trying to kill all of the supernatural creatures in Beacon Hills." She began. K nodded. She'd been told. "And Scott and the others came up with a plan to flush him out, but something's wrong."

"What?"

"Those computers… there are supposed to be people there watching them. If they're gone, it means they saw something." Melissa looked panicked and scared. "I have to check on my son."

K nodded slowly. "I'll help you."

Melissa immediately breathed easier.

"Why?" Noshiko asked as she stepped closer, drawing K's eyes in the process. "Your kind aren't exactly known for their compassion."

"Because," she said simply. "Her and her son helped me when they didn't have to." She looked back to Melissa and smiled as warmly as the situation would permit. "The least I can do is return the favor."

"Thank you."

K nodded and together they set off towards the morgue.

They made it down two hallways, not even reaching the elevators before they heard screaming. The three immediately slowed their trek. Other nurses and a few patrons raced passed them, obviously running from something.

Deep, rumbling growls came from around the corner. Heavy footsteps echoed and K could feel them vibrate through her. Something big was coming.

Sure enough, the towering figure of another breed of monster stepped around the corner and squared itself on the three of them. He was large, towering over everything and even dwarfing the hall he stood in. Bones covered his body like armor, but there were so many it nearly looked like skin. The skull of a bear hid his features while the claws of the animal were strapped to his hands. Blood was splattered along its once white bones and they knew something bad was about to happen.

"Berserker." K muttered. She tossed her bag to the side, knowing a fight was coming. "Been a while since I've fought one of those."

"Define a while." Melissa said under her breath as they took apprehensive steps back.

"1210 AD." K answered to the shock of both Noshiko and Melissa. "During the fall of Thessalonica. The Byzantines had a small army of these things." K glanced to the woman beside her, the one so quick with her sharp jabs. "You sure you know what you're up against, fox-spirit? You ever fight one of these?"

Noshiko turned to K with a tight glare.

"Yes. Beijing." She replied before turning her eye back to the monster in front of them. "1435."

"Wow…" Melissa mumbled, astonished by the dates both women freely spoke.

Before she had the chance to ask either of them if they were serious, the Berserker charged. Noshiko and K raced for him at the same moment and the fight began.

K wished internally Noshiko wasn't there. Fighting something so big and ruthless was easier on her own. It meant she didn't have to hold back. But with someone else, she had to make sure her hits didn't somehow affect the other one fighting.

When she spun around to take his legs out from under him, K was kicked in the back. She sailed through the air down the hall and hit the ground hard. She rolled and slid to a stop. When she pushed herself up, she was so filled with rage, her eyes had gone bloodshot and her fangs had returned. She stood and kicked off her heels so she could get better traction leaving Noshiko alone for a moment. She shouldn't have.

K watched from twenty feet away as Noshiko was taken off balance. The Berserker didn't hesitate and began to swipe at her with his bear claws, slicing her skin open with each pass. She watched in horror as the Kitsune fell to the ground and the Berserker turned to leave. She didn't let him.

K ran after the creature as fast as she could and leapt onto his back before he could react. She planted her feet on either side of his external spine armor and took hold of his jaw. She gritted her teeth and pulled, ready to yank his head off.

She screamed angrily as she pulled. As strong as she was, they were built to withstand almost anything. It took her far longer than she thought it would have to kill the two she did when she and Cora Bennett were fleeing the dying city. And even then, she had the help of a witch. Berserkers were the perfect killing machine. Oh how she hated them.

Eventually, K began to feel his spine separating and knew that within seconds his head would come off. He seemed to know the same. Not willing to die by her hand, the Berserker threw himself backwards. K hit the wall hard, but held tight. He repeated the action again and again to try and get her off, but K refused to let go. Finally, he did the last thing he could. He threw his body down on the ground. K screamed in pain.

She let go whether she wanted to or not. The bones on his spine dug into her abdomen when he threw his massive frame down onto of her.

The Berserker stood and stared at the bleeding monster on the ground. She groaned, but felt the wounds and bones he'd splinter heal. However, he wanted her to remain in pain and unable to chase him.

Reaching for his weapon, the Berserker raised it high above his head and brought it down with all his strength. K screamed loudly when it pierced her gut, but that wasn't all it did. It skewered her, pinning her to the ground when it passed through her body and into the tile floor.

The Berserk stood over her again. He roared loudly like a victorious animal and turned to leave. K's head spun.

"Kalli!" Melissa screamed from her position a few feet away.

"I'm fine." She called back before lowering her voice. "I'm fine…"

K grabbed the hilt of the bone blade and held tight. Her blood kept her from getting a firm grip, but she did her best, and began to pull. She ground her teeth and bit back another yell. Eventually, it came out of her stomach with a sickening pop. K relaxed immediately.

"Help me!" she heard Melissa yell after a few seconds.

K rolled her head towards the woman and realized she was holding the bleeding Noshiko in her arms. Pushing herself up, K stashed the bone-knife in her waist band and rushed to their sides.

"Help me get her up." Melissa begged.

"Get a bed. I've got her." K said.

"You sure?"

K nodded. She threaded her arms beneath the Kitsune and lifted her into the air without trouble. Melissa tried not to be surprised. She was used to seeing people she knew act supernatural, not strangers. But, she pushed passed it and got the bed K would need to put Noshiko on.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

K was surprised at how many people seemed to be friends of Scott's, and they were so diverse too. They'd all come to see how Noshiko was doing after her bout with the Berserker and spotted the young woman newly added to the mix.

"Kalli," Scott said, eying her curiously. He motioned for her to step aside and she did so he could speak to her. The pair moved outside the room so they could have a relatively private conversation. "What are you doing here?"

"Happening by." She told him.

He glanced down and noticed the giant hole through the middle of her shirt. While she was covered in blood –something she was able to explain away as being Noshiko's- he was more than capable of telling not all of it belonged to his girlfriend's mother. Scott's eyes slowly met hers again.

"Thank you." He told her. He recognized the wound left behind by a Berserker bone-blade and he'd even see it in her waistband beneath her shirt. "You helped save my mom. Thank you."

K smiled kindly and nodded.

"Don't mention it." She said kindly. "But uh, what the hell are you into if you have Berserkers after you?" his face fell and he sighed. "Those are serious warriors Scott. You know that, right?"

"Yeah," he sighed heavily. "Yeah, I'm starting to realize that."

"Look at me," she said softly. Scott's eyes slowly traveled up to meet hers. He saw worry. "Scott, stay away from them. You hear me?" his brows came together curiously. He couldn't help it considering she was speaking to him like an old friend, if not some kind of mother figure. "I'm serious. Berserkers are magically imbibed with enough strength to put nearly every supernatural monster down. I watched six of them, _six_, lay waste to an entire city. Don't underestimate them. Okay?"

"I won't." he replied. "I won't."

K nodded again as though that was the end of the situation when the door beside them opened. It was Stiles. He looked from K to his friend.

"I need to be heading back." He told Scott. "Check in with my dad. Can you give me a ride?"

"Yeah, of course." Scott nodded.

"Me too." A young woman said as she joined them in the doorway. She looked apprehensively from one to the other before her eyes settled on Scott. "I need to tell my dad. I want to do it in person, you know? Not over the phone."

Scott nodded again. He stepped into the room and told his mother he was leaving. She hugged him and told him to be safe. Before any of them could leave, Melissa grabbed K's arm to stop her. She offered the vampire her purse K hadn't seen her grab. She'd probably done so because she didn't want it to be found by someone else.

"Thank you." She said with a deep level of sincerity.

K smiled warmly and placed her hand on Melissa's. "Anytime."

Melissa gave her another grateful smile and let the young woman leave.

K walked a few feet behind Scott, Stiles and Keira. They exited before her and headed towards their car as K leisurely walked down the front steps. Before her foot touched the ground however, she froze.

Men, four of them in fact, clad in black and tactical gear stood across from her at the other end of the small loading area. K didn't move. She waited for them to give her the slightest indication they were there for her even though she felt it was obvious. After all, if they'd been there the whole time, the three teens would have spotted them, but that didn't happen. That meant the military men were waiting specifically for her. And as though they wanted to add further validity to her paranoid thoughts, each suddenly produced a large weapon. An AR-15 rested in the grip of each and every one of the men standing across from her.

K stopped breathing. Every nerve stood on end and her muscles flexed as they waited for the fight. These must have been some of the assassins she'd heard about. Evidently they found her and she couldn't help but wonder how. She didn't know they'd found her at home and been following her ever since. Her only question when it came to them was why. Why wait for her when two of the names on the dead-pool had walked out before her? Apparently she was either special or they weren't the kind to kill kids. Whatever the reason, she had a decent arsenal aimed at her.

Slowly, she let the purse slide down her arm. She did it as gradually as she could, to try and keep them calm though she sensed there wasn't much need. Either way, she wanted to be sure she didn't make them jumpy.

When her purse reached her hand, K gradually brought her arm out to the side. As though agreeing with them silently, she let it drop to the ground and they did nothing to stop it.

The tense silence moved between them again. It lasted seconds at most, but it felt like it could have been hours for everyone involved. And then, as though God was taunting her, someone exited the hospital. A nurse was walking out; talking on the phone to someone telling them she'd be home soon when she spotted the men across the way from her. To K's horror, two aimed for the nurse and two kept their weapons on her.

"_Oh this is going to hurt…"_ she thought to herself a split second before everything turned.

She heard the guns cock and saw their gloved fingers flex on the triggers a millisecond before bullets tore through the air. K raced for the nurse and grabbed her, taking her almost violently to the ground as shots echoed around them.

The nurse screamed like any sane person would as the gunfire erupted around them. K simply grit her teeth, ensured as much of her as possible was covering the nurse and waited until the shooting stopped.

Bullets burned in her skin. Nearly –if not- all of them ripped into her back. She could almost feel them bouncing off each other inside her body. Tears welled in her eyes, blood poured from her skin and still they fired.

Stiles, Scott and Keira had gotten into Scott's car (his mother's car really) and pulled out when the gunfight began. They watched in horror as K took the shots in the back. They couldn't see the nurse from their angle, only recognized that K was being hit.

Scott slammed on the gas and pulled out of the spot quickly. Throwing it into drive, he aimed the vehicle towards the assassins. His headlights shined brightly on them, forcing them to realize they'd been seen. One reached onto his belt and pulled out a grey canister. Letting his gun hang from his shoulder, he pulled the tab and tossed it at the car. Scott immediately put it in reverse and drove away from the potential explosive. Instead of blowing up however, smoke billowed from it, encasing the scene and shielding the shooters. They were gone in an instant.

The gunfire had brought out all manner of people. Each of them called 911 trying to get someone there.

K released her hold on the nurse. The young woman scurried out from beneath her increasingly weakening shield. Too frightened by what happened, she raced inside without a second thought to the woman who –as far as she knew- risked her life.

Scott, Stiles and Keira ran for K the moment the scene was clear. She was struggling to lift herself up to her feet and falling repeatedly in the process. She was saturated in blood and it was continuing to pool at her feet.

"Kalli," Scott said, grabbing her shoulders to look at her face. She was losing color and focus. "What happened?"

"I have to go," she breathed. "I can't…"

Scott realized what she meant. She couldn't be there when cops were coming. They'd ask too many questions.

"Keira, help me." Scott said. They each laced on of her arms over their shoulders.

"My bag." She said. "I need… my bag."

Keira grabbed it when they passed it and hurried along with the bleeding woman at her side. It took them both a moment to realize Stiles wasn't with them. Scott glanced over his shoulder and noticed his friend examining one of the bullet holes left behind.

"Stiles!" he yelled, jolting his friend back into reality.

Stiles quickly raced after them, wiping the residue he'd found on his jeans as he did.

~~~!~~~

K was healing from the bullet wounds, but it was slower than she would have liked. She felt awful for bleeding in Melissa's car. And she had cloth upholstery too… she would most definitely pay to have it replaced. It was the least she could do all things considered.

She struggled to keep from feeding in front of the others considering how awful it would likely be for them to witness, but it was difficult. Scott kept looking at her through the mirror, Stiles turning in his seat and Keira eying her like she'd keel over at any moment. Eventually, K's color came back and she began to breathe normally.

"Are you okay?" Keira asked when K stopped having a gurgle in her breath.

"Yeah," she said softly. K pressed her hand to her forehead and nodded repeatedly. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

"You sure? Those guys unloaded on you." Stiles replied. "How are you even still alive?"

"I'll heal." She told him. She wasn't trying to be rude, but K could still feel some of the ammunition rattling around and it hurt. She reached for her bag. "I just need to eat." She opened her purse and checked the blood bags inside. K breathed a sigh of relief when she realized they were intact. "Oh thank god."

While Scott and Stiles couldn't see what was inside the black bag, Keira was more than able and it made her stomach drop. She looked at K with wide, worried eyes, but the other young woman never noticed.

"You're a vampire." She muttered.

K slowly rolled her head towards the teenager beside her. She didn't even notice Scott and Stiles perking at the declaration they heard.

"Yeah." She sighed. K rolled her head forward again and nodded slightly. "Yeah…"

Silence stretched between those in the car. The trio of teens was having trouble not looking at K more than before. They'd never seen a vampire before and they were surprised there was one in the car with them.

When K looked up, she noticed they were far enough from the hospital.

"You can let me out here." She finally said.

Scott slowed, but didn't stop.

"You sure? It's a few miles to your place. Isn't your car at the hospital?"

"Yeah, but I'll walk." She told him, adjusting herself to exit when he stopped. "Here's fine."

Scott seemed reluctant, but pulled to the side of the road regardless. K opened the door and hesitated.

"Tell your mom I know someone who'll replace the upholstery." She told him, meeting Scott's gaze through the rearview mirror. "I didn't mean to bleed all over her car."

Stiles scoffed a weak laugh. He didn't mean to, but it was the natural response to her apologizing for something she couldn't control.

"You…" Stiles paused and adjusted himself to better speak to the young woman who was still sickly pale. "You were just shot like a hundred times and you're apologizing for bleeding?"

She shrugged a single shoulder. She was sorry for it. Without answering Stiles, she looked again to Scott.

"I'll see if I can't have someone look at it tomorrow." She told him simply. "Thanks for the lift."

And with that, K left the car. She closed the door and with them still watching, disappeared from sight before even Scott could register the action.

~~!~~

K stumbled when she made it to the apartment building. She tried to walk normally, but it was hard. She could feel every bullet rattling around inside her and the blood was drying on her clothes. It had been a long time since she'd been shot and even then it was nothing compared to the volume she had just experienced.

As she made her way inside the elevator, K found herself taking an internal count of the weapon's stats. Depending on the size magazine each weapon held, there was anywhere from 10-30 bullets per gun. No one reloaded, so that limited the amount of ammunition used. With four shooters, K was hit with anywhere between 40-120 bullets. The number was more than she thought, but also taking into account that they likely missed a few times (she hoped) that changed the numbers just a bit. Still, it was staggering.

The numbers made her head spin more than the ten to twenty extra pounds to her body. Not every bullet had been expelled before she healed and honestly, K would rather have the bullets in her than the poor nurse foolish enough to exit the hospital at the wrong time.

As she walked along the pathway to her apartment door, K stumbled again and caught herself on what she thought was the wall. It wasn't.

Derek heard something hit his door. It echoed in his apartment almost as loud as if someone had knocked. He glanced over his shoulder to Breadan and noticed she was still sleeping. With her resting on his bed, Derek took one of the guns and headed for his door. He pressed his ear to it and when he heard nothing, he unlocked it.

K was standing against the railing. She was trying to steady her spinning head and ignorant to the fact she'd hit Derek's door. She was trying to gain just enough balance to walk the fifteen feet to her door and open it, but her body wanted nothing more than to rest.

She heard the door behind her unlock and spun to face whatever might be coming for her. To her mild surprise, it was only Derek. He eyed her curiously and even glanced down the hall briefly before meeting her heavy gaze again.

"You need something?" he asked a bit tersely.

"No. Why?" she answered in the same tone.

"You hit my door."

He relaxed and opened the door completely when he realized she wasn't a threat. K raised a brow to the obviously maintained physique. She fought the urge to mutter _nice_ and pushed passed it, but not before noticing the gauze.

"Stabbed?" she asked, pointing to the injury.

Derek ground his teeth. "Shot." He replied.

K laughed before she could stop herself. Derek's brows came together as he watched her.

"Are you drunk?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head. "Just…" she motioned something that meant nothing to the man who couldn't understand it.

Shaking his head, Derek stowed his weapon and gripped the edge of his door again.

"Try not to fall down that." He pointed to the open gap on the other side of the railing K was clinging to. "That'd be a hell of a mess."

A weak smile touched her lips.

"You got it." She told him.

Derek began to close his door the same moment K pushed herself up and moved towards her apartment. Before he had the chance to slip back into his place, he caught sight of white and red. Pausing, Derek watched as K walked by, horrified by what he saw.

The back of her dark shirt was torn to shreds. It barely clung to her frame, stuck in place more by blood than by its own design. And there was blood… it stained her fair skin, showing out in bright contrast was crimson, drying blood.

"Jesus," he breathed, stepping out to keep staring. K didn't notice, but had finally made it to her door and was struggling to put her key in the lock. Derek caught sight of something else interesting to. Peeking out from her bag was the edge of a Berserker blade. His expression darkened. "Did Kate do that to you?"

K looked up. Her brows came together briefly. He could tell she didn't understand the question.

"Shoot you." He clarified. "Did Kate shoot you?"

"I don't know." She answered honestly. "It was a firing squad. That sound like your friend's handiwork?" she asked, honestly curious. She'd love to have a name to go along with the ones who'd shot her.

"No." Derek shook his head. He pointed to the hilt of the blade. "But Berserkers are."

K glanced down and sighed. Her shoulders slumped slightly. At least she had one name to go along with her horrible night. She found herself nodding heavily while Derek continued to watch her. Hearing her explanation of what happened made her actions take on a whole new meaning.

"You sure you're going to be okay?" he asked with genuine concern.

K turned to him and smiled weakly. She nodded and slung her door open.

"Yeah," she answered with the same exasperation he saw marring her features. "I just need to feed and I'll be as good as gold."

"Feed…" he muttered, wondering why she'd phrase it like that when it donned on him. _Vampire_, he thought to himself. _Of course_. "Well," he told her out loud. "Just try not to stain the floors. Blood's hard to get out."

K scoffed and nodded before disappearing into her apartment. Derek closed his door shortly after and went back to studying the weaponry he found himself bound to now that his powers were gone.

Inside her apartment, K set the bag down and immediately changed her clothing. She just wanted to get out of her ruined clothes.

When she finally had, barely having the energy to do so, she didn't hesitate to rip into the first blood bag. She didn't even wait until it was opened properly. Instead, she bit through the plastic and drank freely from it.

K could feel it healing her immediately, but she didn't stop at one. The supply that was meant to last her the week was gone in minutes. Three empty blood bags sat in her sink and still K felt tired. Not wanting to bother with a shower and just so exhausted, she fell into her bed and passed out the moment her head touched her pillow.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

K awoke late in the day. She wasn't entirely surprised by it, but it did bother her. She hated sleeping the day away, even if she didn't have anything to fill it with.

When she sat up in bed, K felt pain radiate through her back. She growled loudly and fell back into the mattress. The bullets were still shifting and trying to find a way out of her body, but there wasn't one. Her organs and muscles were pushing them around, healing where injured and trying to get rid of the obstructions, but there was literally nowhere for them to go. She could feel them grinding against her bones…

Rolling over in her bed because bending hurt, K reached for her phone. She brought up the maps features and typed in the name of the vet clinic. She didn't have Deaton's number. When she found the business's phone number, she called it immediately.

"_Beacon Hills Animal Clinic, how can I help you?"_ A female voice answered.

"Hello," K said in the same high pitched, chipper tone that would make anyone who knew her roll their eyes. "I'm looking for a Doctor Deaton. Is he there?"

"_Yes he is. Give me just a second. I'll get him for you."_

"Thank you."

The fake smile K had plastered on her face to speak like that disappeared the moment she was placed on hold. She listened to the horribly grating music that played on the line and found herself holding the phone away from her ear as a result. The music itself wasn't bad, but whoever was in charge of 'calibrating' it should be fired. It sounded like someone put the phone right against a radio. Awful.

The music suddenly stopped followed shortly by a click. K put it back to her ear.

"_This is Alan Deaton. How may I help you?"_

"Hey doc." She greeted with a sigh. "It's Kalli."

There was a brief pause that let her know it wasn't going to be a normal phone call.

"_Give me a second."_ He told her.

Again she was put on hold and again she moved the phone away from her ear until it ended.

"Seriously," she sighed. "That music is awful."

"_You're not alone in thinking so."_ He replied with a smile in his voice. "_Now, what can I do for you?"_

"Ever taken out a bullet?"

"_Of course."_

"How about thirty?"

There was another pause and she wondered briefly if he'd hung up.

"_I beg your pardon?"_ He asked in obvious shock.

"It's a long story." She sighed. K pressed her hand to her head. "I just need these things taken out. Can you help me?"

"_They didn't come out on their own?"_ Deaton knew that most of the time, as a muscle heals; it pushes out whatever obstruction had injured it making it unlikely anyone else had to intervene. Evidently K hadn't been so lucky.

"No." she answered in the same tired tone. "The bullet holes healed too quickly I guess. If any of them made it out at all…"

"_I can't imagine that's comfortable."_

"It's not." She replied, ignoring his teasing tone. "Can you help me?"

"_Of course. I have appointments through most of the day, but I should be free around four this afternoon. Will that work for you?"_

She grumbled. He could tell she wasn't excited about having to wait so long, but K was just happy to have the bullets taken out.

"I'll be there."

"_Good. See you then."_

And they hung up.

K's arm fell unceremoniously onto the bed beside her. She growled under her breath at having to wait another few hours, but she had no choice.

Slowly, and rather painfully, she stood and made her way to her bathroom to finally wash the blood from her body. She found herself scuttling across the floor like a ninety year old woman, hunched over and unable to take complete steps.

When she passed her full length mirror, something caught her attention. K paused and stepped back in front of the reflective glass. A trickle of what she assumed was blood was slowly making its way down her upper lip. K touched the stream and pulled her finger away to examine the substance. It was dark, darker than it should have been for blood, but there was no denying that's what the substance was.

Her nose was bleeding…

K's brows came together. She had to get the bullets out quickly. It looked like they were tainting her blood. It wouldn't shock her if her body was trying to fight them like an infection and in turn it was tingeing her blood the odd color.

"Damn it…" she sighed.

She quickly turned on the shower to bathe so she could get everything out of her as soon as possible.

~~!~~

By the time four o'clock rolled around, K was already at the clinic. She took a cab for one simple reason; her car was at the hospital still. In her condition, K couldn't run and she wasn't about to race to the hospital to pick up her car nor run to the clinic. So, instead, she called a cab and made her way there.

When she walked through the door, Deaton seemed to be ready for her. He appeared in the doorway and waved her through before his secretary could even ask why the young woman was there. She followed him without hesitation.

The back room was set up for another operation, though the supplies were a bit different. He had a simple scalpel, what was supposed to be a ribcage opener that he'd likely use to keep her skin parted so it wouldn't heal again, and tweezers to remove the projectiles. He motioned to the table and she took a seat to wait. Deaton regained his seat at his desk and returned to writing something.

"I have to finish this paperwork, but it won't take me long." He explained. "I just have this last piece of paper."

"That's fine." She sighed. K slowly laid down on the table with her legs hanging off. Deaton heard the satisfactory groan that left her lips when she was flat again.

"Are you experiencing pain?" he asked, returning to his work.

"Yup." She nodded. K's eyes drifted shut while she waited. "It's like they're still moving around, trying to find a way out or something. Right now, I think they're all around my spine."

Deaton nodded. As he finished the last line –a description of what he'd done for his last patient- the back door opened. Scott walked through the threshold for his shift and hesitated when he saw K on the table.

"Kalli," he said. She opened her eyes and saw him holding his motorcycle helmet in one hand and backpack in the other. "What are you doing here?"

"Bullets." She said simply before closing her eyes again.

"Oh yeah…" he muttered. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was shot." She replied with a hint of a smile.

Scott laughed nervously. He wasn't entirely sure it was a joking matter, but smiled regardless because she seemed so at ease.

"She's fine, by the way."

K opened her eyes again and this time shifted to see the young man setting his things down. When he came back into the room and her line of sight, he noticed she didn't seem to understand.

"The nurse, Maggie." He clarified as he took off his leather jacket. "She's doing fine. She didn't even get hit."

"Good." K nodded. "I was wondering if one made it through me."

Deaton had been listening in passing originally until Scott mentioned someone else.

"You were shot protecting someone else?" Deaton asked from his desk.

"Kind of." K said. She turned her gaze to the curious doctor. "They were aiming for me, but the poor girl came outside at the wrong time. Seriously, who shoots up a hospital?"

"That shooting was you?" Deaton was well aware of the Breaking News from the night before and most of the day. No one knew who it was or why, but they had shot up the place considerably.

"Well I didn't shoot anyone." She mumbled under her breath.

"Well, it seems the assassins are getting bolder." He sighed to himself. Placing his pen back down, Deaton stood and approached the young woman. "Let's get some x-rays, shall we?"

K groaned to herself. It meant she had to stand up again and she didn't want to do it.

Eventually, she laid down on the platform where the x-rays were taken. He had her lay on her back and on the side to be sure he could see everything. Scott stood beside him, curious as to what might be inside the young woman who'd taken the brunt of the assault.

"Whoa…" Scott said under his breath.

K glanced to the pair and saw shock on Scott's face while Deaton remained nearly blank. His eyes were narrowed though. Whatever he saw he didn't like.

"What?" K asked.

The pair looked at her over the monitor and neither expression was inspiring.

"You wouldn't happen to know how many times you were hit, would you?" Deaton asked.

"Sorry, no. I was a little preoccupied at the time." She told him sarcastically.

He mused to himself before gripping the top of the monitor and turning it around so she could see. K slowly and painfully sat upright while Deaton and Scott joined her on the other side of the computer.

"Whoa." She muttered, sharing Scott's surprise.

"As you can see," Deaton pointed to a large mass near K's spine. "The majority of the rounds are localized near your liver. It wouldn't surprise me if they're between your liver and spine."

"Wonderful." She replied sarcastically. "So that explains why sitting hurts."

Deaton cracked a crooked smile which Scott mimicked.

"And the others," he pointed to a few that were lingering elsewhere. "Are still scattered around, but luckily, they're all relatively accessible. It shouldn't take long to retrieve them."

"How many are there?"

"I don't know." He looked back to the x-ray. The area near her liver was relatively dense. It was hard to tell just how many there were. "Quite a few."

"Wonderful. So, now what?"

"Surgery." He told her simply.

"Oh this is going to suck…"

"You don't have to… you know…" Scott said, drawing her eye. "Break your neck again, do you?"

"I'm not staying awake for that." She told him as though she couldn't believe he'd suggest such a thing. "Not with that much rooting around. Hell no."

A weak smile twitched at his lips, but it disappeared quickly. While her comment may have lightened the mood, it was still ominous.

Sure enough, when it came time, K repeated her method of sedation and the surgery began. Deaton and Scott were shocked by the actual number of rounds that saturated her, but that wasn't the only thing that caught his attention. There was more wrong with the situation than he'd originally thought… so much more…

~~!~~

K awoke with a start like she generally did, but she didn't shoot up from her lying position like other times. Instead, she did little more than gasp and open her eyes. She awoke to pain. Her body hurt more than it had before the surgery and she didn't know why.

"Evening."

K sat up and noticed Deaton sitting at his desk again, but near the magnifying glass instead of his paperwork. He looked blankly at the young woman sitting up on his table.

"Is it?" she asked in a tired voice. K turned and noticed the sun had indeed set. "What time is it?"

"Nearly nine o'clock."

"What?" she asked in shock. She had reason to be surprised and her reaction added further validity to the thoughts coursing through Deaton's mind.

"I take it, you weren't expecting to be out for so long."

"No." she replied shaking her head. "I'm not completely sure that's happened before, least of all when I've fed so recently." Deaton rose a brow which she caught when she glanced to him. "That's why I was at the hospital. Blood bags." She explained.

He nodded and looked again to his magnifying glass. K took one deep breath after another to help quell the aching she felt in her body, but it barely helped. On reflex, her eyes darted around the room and that's when she caught sight of them. Not too far from the table was a metallic bowl filled with bullets.

Pushing herself off the table, K approached the container. Deaton watched her curiously. He wanted to see how she was healing.

K looked at the shards of metal inside the bowl. There were more than she thought and most of which looked like they were a bit rusted. Perhaps not rusted, but degraded. It looked like her body was trying to fight off the foreign metal. She wondered briefly if it was doing the same to the stone in her heart…

"How many did you pull out?" she asked as she pushed them around lazily with her fingertip.

"Forty-three." He replied.

"I'm sorry, what?" It took K a moment to comprehend the sheer number of projectiles that had once been in her body.

Deaton shifted his gaze from his work and to her. "Forty-three." He repeated. "You definitely took the brunt of the attack."

K didn't bother hiding her shock. Her eyes fell again to the bullets. A sick part of her wanted to keep them as trophies, as though to say _not even this could kill me_. That was part of the reason she kept the Berserker blade.

But as she stared at the bullets, Deaton stared at her. He could see her skin was a bit pasty, that she wasn't as sure on her feet as before and remembered how long she was unconscious. Those combined with the way her blood looked made Deaton wonder if there wasn't something more to the ammunition than he thought.

"How are you feeling, Kalli?" he asked.

She looked up and shrugged halfheartedly. He could see the lie, but didn't comment on it.

"Sore." She said when he kept eying her. "I'll be fine. I just had those things in me for too long. I just need some time to heal, that's all."

"All right." He said despite his disbelief.

Eventually, K thanked him for what he'd done for her and even asked if she could keep the bullets. Deaton agreed, but asked for one himself. He made up the excuse that he wanted to know if he recognized anything about them that might help him identify the shooters. She didn't seem to sense the deception and let him keep a single bullet for whatever he planned to do with it.

Saying her farewell, K took the baggy filled with bullets and left the clinic. When she was gone, Deaton reached for his office phone and dialed a number he'd called while she was unconscious.

"_Yeah?"_

"Sherriff, it's Alan."

"_Oh, hey Doc. What can I do for you?"_

"Have you had time to examine the substance you found at the shooting site?"

Sheriff Stalinski took a deep breath and sighed.

"_I got no idea how I'm supposed to explain this to anyone."_ He admitted honestly. Deaton understood the conflict completely. _"But yeah, we've got the preliminary results."_

The vet waited patiently while the Sheriff shuffled with some paperwork. Ever since Scott's father came to town, things did seem to move a bit smoother in some respects. While it complicated things greatly, having a federal agent helped get things moving through the system faster.

"_Here it is,"_ Stalinski finally said. "_The residue they found in the bullet holes is mostly biological, but they found some chemical compound too."_

"Do they know what it is yet?"

"_No. The best they can figure is, it's some kind of blood thinner. That's the best they've got. The final results won't be in until next week."_ He said. "_Can I ask why you're so interested in this?"_

"A young woman asked me to look into it for her." He said, neglecting to go too deep into details with the Sheriff. "She was a bystander."

"_Stiles told me about the girl, Kalli right?"_

"Yes." Deaton replied. He reached for the bullet he kept ad began to examine it with his naked eye.

"_The nurse said she could've sworn someone was shielding her from the gunfire."_ Stalinski said after a moment of silence. _"But she was gone by the time the cops got there. That's you patient, isn't it?"_

"Yes." He said. "She was hit with a considerable number of bullets while protecting the young woman who'd been caught in the crossfire."

"_She's still alive?"_ he asked, unable to hide his surprise. He didn't really wait for Deaton to reply before adding, "_Another werewolf?"_

"No, Sheriff." Deaton smiled slightly.

"_Banshee? Canima? Kitsune?"_

Deaton chuckled to himself but didn't let the Sheriff hear it. Stalinski was still a bit new to their world and he didn't want to offend the man by laughing.

"Vampire." He answered.

There was a pause on the other end of the line for a breath or two before the Sheriff spoke again.

"_Sure, why not?"_ he asked sarcastically. He figured, why not? Of course there are vampires too. "_Why ask then if she's a vampire? Aren't they technically dead already?"_

"In many respects, yes, they are, but that doesn't mean they're not susceptible to their own 'chemical warfare' as it were." He said. "I doubt the ammunition was made specifically for a vampire, so it's likely it won't affect her greatly, but I was curious. Just in case someone else finds themselves in the same situation, I wanted to be sure I had an antidote if needed."

"_I get it."_ He agreed. Stalinski knew Deaton was speaking primarily of the large werewolf population within Beacon Hills. "_As soon as the final results get here, I'll let you know."_

"I would appreciate that, Sheriff."

"_No problem."_

And with their farewell, the two hung up. Deaton continued to stare at the bullet. It wouldn't surprise him in the least if one of the biological compounds on the bullet was a strain of Wolf's Bane. Again, the sheer number of werewolves within the city was staggering, so taking the precaution was smart. The blood thinner took care of another aspect of the supernatural too, the ones who couldn't heal like Lydia. They would be shot, infected and bleed out regardless of whether or not they received aid. But Deaton couldn't help but wonder what else might be lingering within the lead chunk. He'd run his own tests in the meantime to try and find out.

He hoped K was right. He hoped all she had to do was feed and heal. He knew the Wolf's Bane would do nothing to harm her. It wasn't the herb that could. The blood thinner was a concern, but she hadn't bled more than he thought she might during the surgery. But there was something else. A few something's actually.

K's blood had turned a dark color. It wasn't black, but it looked dead. He'd seen her blood before when she had him implant the gemstone and it was normal then. Now it seemed to be tinted a bit brown, like it was in fact dying. Secondly, she wasn't healing like she should have been. When he let go of her skin, removing the clamp that held it open, it didn't stitch itself closed immediately like it had before. When he operated on her previously, she healed so quickly it caused problems, but now the opposite was true. Deaton had watched as her skin slowly, but surely began to blend back together. Instead of taking seconds, it took nearly three minutes. He timed it. And then there was her waking up. It took five hours…

Something was most definitely wrong with Kalli, whether she knew it or not.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

K grabbed her car from the hospital and left before anyone knew she was there. She didn't want to risk being recognized by the nurse or having another shooting spree on the front steps.

As she drove home, the baggy filled with bullets rattled and swayed in the passenger seat beside her. They held her parting attention. She'd glance at them periodically, especially when they caught the glare from a passing light or building. They would shine every time…

When she finally made it home, K parked in the parking garage her building shared with another pair of businesses. After dark, the multi-storied structure was primarily residents of the apartment building, but every once and a while there were people randomly heading to their cars from the office after pulling an 'all-nighter'.

K grabbed her shopping bag with two bottles of liquor inside and dropped the bullet bag in it as well so she had less to carry. As she locked her car and started off towards home, K caught sight of another person entering the garage.

"Hi." The young man said warmly.

"Hi." She offered in return.

"You live here?"

K paused in step and found herself beginning a conversation with someone she didn't know. She wasn't sure how it happened, but the nice young man –who looked to be an intern of some kind- apparently felt the need to engage her. She spoke with him briefly before something started to pound in her head. She thought it was a headache at first, something she'd felt more than once, but this was something different.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

K's eyes instinctively moved towards his neck. She watched as his carotid artery pulsed, moved up and down with steady rhythm.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

She felt her teeth begin to point and her mouth water.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

She could almost see the blood coursing through his veins.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

Every muscle tensed and she knew she was about to attack.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump _

"Are you okay?"

The voice broke through the haze in her mind and forced K to focus. The young man was staring at her with concern and mild apprehension.

"Yeah," she said, shaking her head and forcing a weak smile. "Sorry, it's just… it's been a long day. I'm kind of tired, is all."

"Oh," he nodded and shifted on the spot. "Maybe I'll see you around then?"

"Most likely." She tried to say as kindly as possible.

He nodded again and waved to her as he turned to continue on to his car. K returned the halfhearted sentiment, but didn't immediately leave. She found it difficult to command her feet to do much else because when the talking was done, she heard the noise again.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

She tried to ignore it at first, knowing it was nothing more than his heart, but the thumping became louder. The harder she tried to ignore it, the more her body screamed it was starving. She suddenly felt as though she hadn't eaten in weeks and the animal was beginning to win out.

Her eyes began to darken without her permission and the fangs within her mouth made themselves known. K knelt down just enough the bag slid from her grip, but the bottles inside didn't break. Her feet took her closer to the man barely within her line of sight who struggled with putting his things in his trunk.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

She crept through the shadows with her body on auto-pilot. K's logical side was dormant and the monster had taken over.

He slammed the trunk shut and moved towards the driver's side door. He barely had the key in the lock before something grabbed him from behind. K sank her teeth into his neck and drank her fill.

~!~

K fled the scene quickly. She didn't realize what she was doing until it was nearly too late. She barely had time to heal the young man before he died and wipe his memory. But she was hungry, so very hungry. It was a raw hunger, one she hadn't experienced in centuries and it frightened her.

She slammed her door closed behind her and stumbled into the kitchen. K nearly broke the bottles when she dropped the bag into one side of her sink before turning on the water to wash her face. She tried to wash off any trace of blood she had lingering. It wasn't that she was ashamed of what she was, she was ashamed of what she'd done. She never lost control like that…

When the blood was gone, K turned off the water and reached for a hand towel she kept folded right next to it. She began to blot her skin, drying it before simply burying her face in the fabric. She growled loudly and called herself an idiot for the slip. That was a sure fire way to get those mercenaries on her scent again if they'd ever lost it.

With a sigh, K pulled the towel away and tossed it onto the counter top again. She reached for the plastic bag in the sink and began to unload her purchases when she spotted something odd on the cream colored fabric. Her brows came together as she reached for it again. A grey/red stain was left behind. She knew it hadn't been there before which meant it came from her. K touched her face, her skin and lips, but nothing came back. Whatever the substance was, it wasn't from feeding.

Something suddenly began to tickle her upper lip. Apprehensively, K touched the skin beneath her nose. When she pulled her hand back, she saw the same grey/red liquid touching her index and middle fingertips. K spun around to see her reflection in the shining metal of her oven and there it was. Her nose was bleeding again, but this time the color was different, darker.

"What the hell…" she muttered to herself.

Something began to churn in K's gut. It twisted and turned, jerked from one side to the next and made her double over. K held her stomach, trying to will the pain away, but it wouldn't go.

Without warning, K felt it rise in her throat. She threw herself over her sink and retched inside. K coughed as she expelled everything that had once been in her stomach.

When it finally stopped and K was given a chance to breathe, she realized something frightening. The blood she'd just ate, the blood that was less than twenty minutes old in her stomach, was just as black as whatever was coming out of her nose. K ran her fingers through her hair to get it out of her face as she stared in horror at the blood in her sink.

"Oh god…"

For some unknown reason, K reached out to touch the blood she'd vomited. She ran her finger through the residue and realized it was thick, not thin like what was coming out of her nose. It was thick like a gel. Her stomach fell again and before she could continue letting her mind wander, K immediately began to rinse it out of her sink.

~~!~~

Deaton sat at his desk. He was still trying to run his own tests, but there were limited supplies he had to work with. While waiting for the Sheriff's results, Deaton decided to pay the crime scene another visit.

Because it was at a hospital, they cleared it relatively quickly. He noticed the pool of blood that had barely been washed away and knew it was from Kalli. He walked around a bit, looking for anything the crime team missed and found a few interesting things. Out of the many bullet holes left behind, Deaton noticed a few still had some of the substance the team had collected oozing out of them. He didn't hesitate to take a few samples of his own.

At the clinic, he sat in the back trying to figure out what else the biological substances might be. With one of the swabs holding a decent amount of the liquid, Deaton preformed his own experiment. He pricked his finger and dripped a droplet of blood onto it to see what might happen. The results weren't encouraging.

As he stared at the slide beneath the microscope, he watched as the toxins ravaged his blood within minutes. It turned a sickly black color and the cells themselves began to die then burst. Whatever it was would kill a human within minutes and after hearing about the Chemist and his weaponized Wolf's Bane, Deaton found himself wondering what other natural components had been turned more lethal than they were originally meant to be.

At first he thought the odd tint to K's blood was nothing more than a minor infection caused by the immense amount of foreign metal in her body. True she was a vampire –half dead-, but she still healed which meant her immune system was magically enhanced. It would make sense it could get infected then heal quickly no matter what it came across. But now… Deaton found himself wondering what complications might plague the young woman foolish enough to try and save someone else, in turn taking the brunt of the attack.

~~!~~

K didn't sleep. Her body ached. Every muscle tensed and relaxed at the same time. They cramped and twisted beneath her skin and no matter how much she tried to stay still, it wouldn't stop. When she did finally sleep, it was less than an hour and didn't help her body recover in the least. Around two in the morning, she just stopped trying.

Staggering, K pushed herself up and headed towards the bathroom. She needed to bathe. She'd awaken in a pool of sweat. It soaked through her shirt and sheets. No matter how cold her apartment had been kept, she still continued to sweat.

K's feet fell heavily on the concrete ground in her bedroom as she trudged into the bathroom. She hadn't bothered to open her eyes because the slightest hint of light hurt.

Something began to itch at her throat. K started coughing. The fit was worse than she ever remembered having and forced her to hesitate at her vanity. She planted her palms on either side of her sink and continued to hack and cough, hearing fluid in her lungs as she did, until it gathered in her throat. K spat into the sink. More black blood.

She groaned uncomfortably and stood upright to wipe the hair away from her face where it'd stuck to the sweat. She caught sight of her face and her stomach turned again. The black blood touched the corner of her lips when she spit it out, it trailed down from each nostril this time and was smeared along her cheeks from where she'd rubbed her face in her pillows. As she guided her hair back, K noticed thin trails of what she thought was originally hair stuck to the side of her neck, was in fact more block blood. K tentatively placed a finger in her ear and pulled it away. Her ears were bleeding now too.

She needed blood, real blood and the healthy kind. Whatever kind of infection she had was taking too long to heal so she was going to have to help it along.

"_Yeah,"_ she thought to herself as she turned on the cold water in her shower. _"I just need to feed…"_ she ignored the foreboding feeling touching the back of her neck. _"I'll be fine, I just need to eat…"_

~~!~~

Scott knocked again on the door, but this time with a heavy handed pound. Still there was nothing. Given the hour, he knew K should be home and was beginning to wonder if Deaton's fears hadn't been completely warranted.

"_Scott, I know it's late, but I haven't been able to reach Kalli. Would you be willing to try?"_

"_Uh, yeah. I guess. Is something wrong?"_

"_I could be wrong, but I think there may be complications involving the shooting."_

"_You think something's wrong with her? She looked fine."_

"_Yes but," Deaton paused which made Scott wonder if his boss hadn't found something that honestly worried him. "I'd rather be sure."_

"_Then yeah, sure." He replied hesitantly. "I'm at Derek's house right now. I can go next door and see if she's home."_

"_Thank you."_

That was nearly ten minutes ago and still Scott hadn't gotten an answer.

"Just break it down." Derek told him.

"I don't want to do that." Scott said as though it should have been obvious.

Derek sighed and rolled his eyes. "Then listen. See if she's in there."

Scott pressed his ear to the thick metal door and strained his hearing. He heard nothing. There was nothing at all aside from her fridge kicking on and off. His brows came together and before he could stand upright again, something touched his nose. Scoot's back tightened and he sniffed again. Derek noticed.

"What do you smell?"

Scott turned hesitantly towards his friend, fear saturating his features.

"Blood." He replied under his breath. "And it's hers."

Derek didn't get the chance to ask how he knew before Scott gripped the door handle and flung it open. The lock snapped under the force and the door itself nearly came off the hinges from the power. Scott knew the scent because he'd been there more than once when K was cut open and the second time he could smell something different. It was that same odd scent he smelled coming from her apartment.

"Kalli!" he called as he and Derek charged into her home.

Derek turned on the lights so he could see easier and spotted her. They could see K's black hair strewn across the floor near the open archway to her bedroom, the rest of her body hidden from sight. The pair jogged towards her.

"Kalli," Scott repeated when he knelt beside her. "Oh my god…"

"What is that?" Derek asked.

Black pooled beneath her head. It came from her nose, her ears and the corner of her mouth. Derek might not have been able to smell it right away, but it burned Scott's nose.

"Blood." He said as he threaded his arms underneath her body. "We have to get her to Deaton."

Derek agreed and helped Scott get her out of the apartment and into his car. The pair sped off towards the clinic while K remained unmoving in the backseat with Scott. He tried to wake her up, but she never stirred.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The light burned her eyes to the point she could feel it throb through the rest of her body. K slammed them shut and groaned on reflex. She tried to cover her eyes, but felt a tug in her left arm when she did. K opened her eyes, ignored the searing white light, and tried to see what was causing the tension. A needle was dug into her arm, deeply into her elbow and connected to a tube. Following it, K noticed a blood bag hanging from a support was at the other end.

"What?" she breathed, speaking only to herself because there wasn't a soul around.

K took in her surroundings. She was in a sterile looking room with metal sinks and other hospital like things, but it wasn't a hospital. She could hear the animals.

Confused as to how she'd gotten to the animal clinic, K slowly sat up. Her body ached like it did the last time she tired to move, but she pushed passed it. Snapping the IV out of her arm, K began to walk through the clinic's back rooms as though she wasn't wearing an oversized men's shirt and a pair of nearly invisible shorts beneath. To anyone who cared to look, it was obvious she was still wearing her pajamas.

Slowly –and using the wall for more support than she even realized- K wove through the halls towards the only other room she knew.

When she finally found it, Deaton was busy examining a cat being held by an assistant. He glanced up and spotted her quickly.

"Kalli," he said, suddenly moving around his assistant and towards the young woman so she couldn't be seen. "You're awake."

"And confused." She said with a relatively hoarse voice that surprised them both. "What's going on?"

"I'm more than happy to explain, but you should really sit down. You need to rest."

Whether she agreed or not, K found herself nodding. She was a little tired…

Deaton told her to wait for him in the other room where she'd already been resting and she did. Her mind was fuzzy and having trouble focusing on anything in particular which bothered her greatly.

Twenty or so minutes later, Deaton joined her in the back room where K sat. She looked at him through heavy lids and waited for an explanation. He noticed the blood bag hanging where he left it, the tube hanging and the needle on the ground. A small pool of blood was gathering beneath it which caused him to sigh to himself.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he stepped towards the bag and lifted the tubing so it would stop leaking.

"Tired." She admitted. With her mind a bit clouded, K found it hard to try and lie. "How'd I get here?"

"Scott and Derek brought you here early this morning." He told her simply. He noticed her brows come together tightly in the center of her forehead. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"I was at home." She said. "And I think I got dizzy, I don't know. Why?"

"When Scott and Derek found you, you'd collapsed." He said. Deaton squared himself on her. She could see his honest concern and it bothered her. "Scott said you were in a pool of black blood." She flinched and looked away. "Is that true?"

K didn't reply and instead shrugged as if she didn't know. In truth, she had an idea that if she did faint, she probably was in her own blood.

Deaton didn't immediately respond and instead grabbed her right sleeve. He held it out so she could see the right side of her body –her shoulder and half her arm- was stained in black. She snatched it back and continued to ignore his gaze like an angry child.

"How long has this been happening?"

"What?"

"The fainting spells?"

"This is the first one." She mumbled under her breath.

"And the bleeding?"

Again she flinched and fidgeted. K hesitated to say anything and because of it Deaton had his answer. It meant she'd been bleeding since the shooting, which he didn't find surprising.

"Kalli," his calm and sincere voice drew her eye. Deaton reached for a chair and pulled it up to the young woman so he could speak to her at eye level instead of looking down at her. "The bullets that I pulled from you were dipped in a toxin."

"So?" she asked indignantly with a shrug. "Poisons don't affect me." She added despite the proof to the contrary.

"I'm afraid, this might."

He noticed her blank expression fall slightly.

"What?" the word barely left her lips.

"The bullets were dipped in a mixture of an anti-coagulant and some form of necrotic toxin." He told her calmly.

"Blood thinners and animal venom." She repeated in the most basic of terms.

"Yes," he nodded. "While you were asleep, I had the chance to examine a sample of your blood."

K didn't bother asking how he got it. From the way the passed few days had been going, he only had to wait ten minutes before it oozed out of something.

"And?" she asked when he didn't immediately continue.

Deaton hesitated to answer. He remembered seeing the odd way her blood was behaving beneath his microscope. It looked like it couldn't decide what it needed to do and he wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not.

"I've seen similar reactions in animals," he began before slowly meeting her gaze again. "When bitten by recluse spiders."

Her eyes narrowed on him.

"It's spider venom?"

"A concentrated strain, but yes."

K seemed to breathe a sigh of relief which Deaton considered unfounded.

"Then I'll be fine." She sighed as she leaned back in her chair. "I'll heal."

Deaton didn't immediately speak. He wasn't sure if he should tell her about people weaponizing natural toxins and turning them into something almost incurable.

"Of course." He finally said. "However," K's eyes snapped to his. "It's clear this particular blend wasn't designed for a vampire. If it was, there would be vervain in the mixture." She nodded her agreement. "Can you tell me what else has been happening to you?" K narrowed her eyes briefly causing Deaton to smile softly. "Just to be sure you're alright."

"Sure." She responded under her breath.

Deaton nodded. He reached into his white coat pocket and pulled out the list of symptoms for specific recluse bites. He wanted to be sure which toxin was used.

The first was Necrotic cutaneous loxoscelism. It was the most common with the bites and easiest to identify. It was basically a really long name for the necrotic bite left behind by a Brown Recluse Spider that would turn disgusting, rot and then heal itself within a few long weeks. Sometimes there were lesions, but not always. With a quick glance over her when she first arrived, Deaton realized that wasn't the cause which only left the other and more disturbing. He hoped he was wrong.

He looked over the symptoms for Viscerocutaneous loxoscelism, a much nastier strain.

"Have you been experiencing fatigue?" he asked as he glanced over the list of symptoms. When she didn't answer verbally, he looked up. K nodded. "Nausea or vomiting?" K bit the inside of her cheek and nodded again. He noticed her arms slowly wrapping around her body as though they would protect her from his questions, but he had to continue. "I know this may be a bit more difficult to answer, but have you noticed any clotting?"

K's brows came together and her head dropped. She remembered vividly what happened after she fed on the little intern boy and couldn't keep his blood down. That blood wasn't thin. It was very thick. Hesitantly, K nodded and Deaton had his diagnosis. It was the worse of the two strains of toxins.

The other two symptoms were the destruction of platelets and blood cells, both of which he'd seen beneath his microscope. He watched the sample he'd taken from her begin to destroy itself and die on the slide. His heart dropped.

Both of them knew there was nothing that could save her. There was nothing that could heal her other than blood so that was going to be the one and only treatment he could offer her to try and save her. However this toxin was altered was affecting everything inside K's body and it was beginning to take its toll.

"I've asked Scott to see if Melissa can donate a few more bags." Deaton said, shifting from his line of questioning to something more helpful. He stood, drawing K's eye again as he approached her left and took her arm into his hand again. He pulled her sleeve back and grabbed the IV. "Hopefully, we just need to keep you on fluids." He gave her a smile. "Of sorts."

K forced a smile of her own but it was as weak as his. She nodded heavily. K had nothing else to do. She could only hope it worked.

~!~

Scott walked through the hospital. He'd only just gotten out of school and his schedule was a little tight. The bonfire was that night and he had to be sure he was there to watch over everyone. While he was already a protective Alpha, the threat of assassins running around made him even more paranoid than before. But when Deaton called him and told him he needed blood for K, Scott gladly told him he'd see what he could do.

"Scott,"

He turned and saw his mom standing near the nurse's station with a clipboard in her hand and confusion on her face.

"I thought you were supposed to be going to that bonfire, or something?"

"Yeah," he nodded, approaching her and meeting her in stride. "But," he hesitated and Melissa felt she already knew what was coming. Scott always acted a certain way when it came to a supernatural problem. "I kind of need your help with something."

"Am I going to like this favor?" she asked with a hand on her hip.

He gave her a weak, half smile that let her know she wouldn't. Melissa sighed and lightly tugged on his sleeve so he would follow her away from prying ears. When they were safely away from her coworkers and patients, she crossed her arms and waited.

"Okay, let's have it."

"You remember Kalli, right?" it was a foolish question and he knew it, but it was the only way he could think to start his sentence. "Well, she kind of needs your help."

"What's happened now?" she asked with honest concern.

"The bullets those assassins used," he lowered his voice substantially. "Were laced with some kind of poison."

"Oh my god. Is she okay?"

Scott slowly shook his head.

"Deaton's not really sure what's wrong since they weren't meant for vampires, but she's sick." He said. "And… that's where you come in."

"Well sweetheart, my knowledge of vampire anatomy might be a little lacking." She replied with light sarcasm. "I missed that class back in college."

He laughed weakly, but the smile fell quickly afterward.

"She doesn't need a nurse." He said. "She needs blood."

Understanding washed through Melissa's features. Scott needed her for blood bags.

"Honey," she sighed heavily. "I can get two, maybe three, but that's all. Security's been upgraded since the shooting and Kalli already took three bags that night. Anymore and someone's going to notice they're gone."

"That's fine." He said quickly. "Anything is better than nothing."

Melissa nodded heavily before taking Scott to get what he needed.

~!~

By the time Scott returned to the clinic, K had slipped into a coma like sleep. It wasn't intentional, but she had.

Scott went to Deaton first like he always did and told the vet he could only get three bags. His mom was worried about risking more and Deaton understood. He had to think of how to get more though. Three bags likely wouldn't cut it, not when he'd already used one and a half without change.

"So, how is she?" he asked tentatively.

"Not good." He sighed. "Her body's struggling to gain the upper hand, but considering the amount of toxin that was forced into her system… a single bullet, perhaps two, might have gone unnoticed, but the toxin seems to be overrunning her system."

"You think these'll help?" he asked sadly.

"I hope so."

Scott nodded because he couldn't think of anything else to do. Deaton asked the young man if he'd be kind enough to take the bags into the back for him. Scott agreed and wove back through the hall to the room K was sleeping in.

When he made it to the door he hesitated. K was sitting in an office chair complete with arms. She was slumped over a bit like anyone would be if they'd fallen asleep in a chair, but she was sitting so still it caused Scott to pause. He couldn't see her chest moving with breath or hear her heart beating. To look at her, K already seemed dead.

Slowly, he stepped into the room. He looked at the bag hanging and it was nearly empty if not already. As quietly as he could, Scott walked to her left and set his bag down. He grabbed another blood bag and went through the motions of changing it for her while she slept.

Whatever part of K's brain that was still coherent noticed someone else was in the room with her. With a deep breath, K sat upright and opened her eyes. Scott stopped, still in the process of hanging the new IV bag, when her eyes shifted to him. He smiled weakly.

"Hey." He greeted softly in case she wasn't completely awake.

"Hey." She said in the same tone. "What are you doing here?"

"I got a couple bags from the hospital." He told her, hanging the new one up and showing her the pair inside the bag.

K nodded heavily and pulled herself up so she could sit straighter in the chair. When she turned her attention to the room, Scott could see the thin trickle of black blood that had escaped her ear while she was sleeping. It made his stomach drop. He walked around so he could face her.

"How are you feeling?"

She smiled softly at his genuine concern and waved her hand dismissively.

"I'm fine." She lied. He could tell. "Just a little tired. Healing can take a lot out of you sometimes, you know?"

"Sure." He nodded. Scott decided he should just placate her denial. After all, he didn't have the room to say anything else on the matter, not when he wasn't even sure what was happening to her.

Scott found himself staring at K even after she broke eye contact. She was leaning to her right, her elbow propped up on the wooden arm of the chair and she was chewing absently on her thumb. He could tell she had a lot on her mind and he didn't blame her. Because of his naturally kindhearted soul, Scott found himself squatting down in front of her so they could talk for a moment before he left.

"You sure?"

K gradually turned to face him. She rested her head in her hand as she looked at the young man in front of her. She gave him a weak, half smile that was honestly little more than a twitch of the lip.

"You're sweet to worry Scott, but I'm fine."

This time, the lie was accompanied by tears. He saw them gathering in her eyes and when she blinked they had no choice but to trail softly down her cheeks.

Scott found himself reaching forward and gently touching her left hand. He rested his on top of hers as it sat on the arm of the chair.

"It's going to be okay." He felt the need to say. He tried to give her a reassuring smile that honestly fooled no one. "You'll be fine, just watch."

K felt herself shaking her head.

"No," she whispered. "I won't be." She didn't even have the energy to lie the longer she spoke. "The only reason it's taking so long is because I'm so old. That's all."

"How old are you?" Scott asked before he could stop himself. He noticed her smile softly at the question and it caused him to laugh nervously. "Sorry, it's just… I've never met a vampire before."

She laughed but it sounded like little more than a breathy sigh.

"996." She told him simply. Scott's jaw went slack and his eyes a bit wider than before. She smiled again and moved the hand that had been supporting her head. She held up her fingers, put little more than an inch of distance between her thumb and index finger. _"This close_ to a thousand years old." She teased.

He laughed under his breath and squeezed the hand he held just a bit tighter than before.

"You'll make it."

She kept the soft smile, but he could tell she didn't believe him. Scott eventually stood.

"I'll let you get some rest, okay?"

"Sure." She told him heavily.

Scott turned, nearly leaving, before remembering something else he'd picked up before he came to the clinic.

"Oh," he said, turning to face her again as he dug into his back pocket. He produced her cell phone and handed it to her. "I figured you might want this. And uh… sorry for breaking into your house."

K laughed, but the laugh turned into a cough. Scott could smell the blood even before she was done. He moved towards the sink in the corner and grabbed a few paper towels to give her when she was done.

"Thank you." She told him. K took the towels and wiped off both her hand and lips. He was wise to give her the towels. K hesitantly met his eyes. "For everything."

Scott didn't know what else to do other than nod to her. With a parting smile, Scott left K alone in the back room.

When he was gone, K's eyes shifted to the pale brown paper towel he'd handed her. It was saturated with black blood. Her heart dropped and more tears fell.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Derek helped Scott to his feet along with the others. The gasoline they were drenched in hurt his nose even without the superhuman senses. As the small group began to make their way out of the school, Derek pulled Scott aside. Something had been bothering him for the better part of the day, but he hadn't had the time or courage to do anything about it until coming across Scott again.

"Have you talked to Deaton?" he asked the young Alpha.

Scott didn't have to ask why Derek wanted to know. He could see a glint of concern in the young man's eyes and understood it completely. After all, they'd both seen K lying in a pool of her own black blood.

"Yeah." He nodded. "Yeah, she's uh…" Scott hesitated and Derek felt he knew why.

"She's dying, isn't she?" he was smart enough to come to some conclusions on his own.

"I think so." He admitted regrettably. Derek sighed and shook his head. While he may not have known K for long, he still felt bad for her. She was just another name added to an increasingly long list. "Deaton thinks she might be able to heal herself," Scott added, drawing Derek's dwindling attention. "But she needs blood."

"What about your mom?"

"I already got a couple bags from her, but that's about it. Kalli needs more. The security's too tight for me to get more."

"Because of the shooting." Derek sighed. Scott nodded.

Derek thought about what to do. He knew a fair amount about vampires, but hadn't been around one in years until K came around and even then that vampire hadn't been shot to death. As he pressed his mind for a solution, Derek noticed Breadan. A plan began to form.

~!~

K had to get up and walk around. She'd been sitting for far too long alone in a back room away from people and anything else and she couldn't stand it. She was beginning to lose her mind.

Against the advice of her doctor –which was why she didn't tell him,- K slipped through the halls and went outside without being seen. She wasn't entirely sure if Deaton was even there, or anyone else for that matter, but she was careful regardless.

The alleyway was wider than most because neighboring businesses used it to unload their trucks. No civilians of any kind came back there and that's what she was counting on, especially considering the businesses were closed.

She took a seat against the exterior of the clinic and let her head fall against the wall. The air had a bite in it, not for approaching cold, but because there was rain in the distance. The wind carried it to her and she felt herself sink into the scent. It was always a calming smell though why she was never sure. Maybe it was because rain always seemed to refresh everything it touched. It brought life and that's what she needed.

K's eyes drifted shut and she let herself relax.

_She felt something gently trail along her cheek. She batted it away absently and sank further into the goose down pillow, but the feeling persisted. When it started again, K shot up and batted at the object only to find it had been intentional._

_Klaus chuckled at her over the top reaction. He'd been lightly touching her cheek, running his fingertip along the skin to try and wake her. It worked._

"_Too early." K sighed as she fell back into the pillow and sank beneath the blanket._

_Klaus only smiled as she rolled over and presented him with her back. _

"_Then I suppose you wouldn't want this."_

_K opened her eyes when she felt him move closer to her. His chest was pressed to her back as he draped his arm over her. In his fingertips, Klaus held the strings of a small red velvet bag. Her brows came together curiously. K rolled over enough she could see him behind her._

"_What is it?" she asked._

_Klaus only shrugged. She began to smile. K bit her bottom lip as her eyes moved back to the small bag. As fast as she could –which was nothing compared to him- she tried to snatch it away. Klaus easily kept it from her._

"_Give it to me." She demanded weakly as she tried again to get the bag, but again Klaus kept it from her. _

_He seemed to be enjoying himself and it made K only want to wipe the grin from his face. _

_Without warning, she attacked him instead. Klaus laughed as she 'pinned' him to the bed. In truth he could flex and it would hold more strength than her entire body, but he was having fun. _

_The two rolled around on the queen sized bed, laughing and not really attempting to do much else. It was a sweet moment, one of the few they were able to share with the ever present eyes of his two remaining siblings._

_Eventually the flirtation stopped and two went still. Klaus hovered over her, supporting himself on an elbow while his other hand still held the little red bag. He smiled down at the young woman smiling back._

_Tearing his eyes from hers, Klaus held up the velvet bag and this time when she reached for it, he let her take it. K opened it quickly and dumped its contents into her open palm. It was a bracelet. _

_Klaus watched her face as she held up the piece. It was made up of simple links of two different sizes. Larger links, about the same size as a modern nickel, made up the overall length of the bracelet while smaller links barely the circumference of pencil's eraser held them together. In a way it was built like chainmail and the clasp was nothing more than an open link and a toggle. It was so simple, but beautiful._

"_Do you like it?" he asked when she hadn't said anything for a few moments._

_K met his eyes and a wide smile touched her lips._

"_It's beautiful." She told him honestly. Klaus seemed to breathe easier. K offered it to him along with her wrist. "Please."_

_Klaus adjusted himself enough to clasp the bracelet onto her wrist. It fit perfectly and K couldn't stop herself from admiring it._

"_What's the occasion?" she asked finally._

_Klaus raised a brow as though he couldn't believe she asked._

"_Your birthday." He replied simply._

"_Is it?" _

_He chuckled before he could stop himself. _

"_And you're nineteen," he sighed. Klaus pulled her close and laid on his back, letting her rest against his chest in the process. "In case you're wondering."_

_She reared back and punched him instead of saying another word. Klaus grunted from the force, but it did little to nothing in the way of hurting him. To keep her from doing it again, Klaus wrapped his arms around her and held her close, pressing his forehead to hers. K calmed immediately and smiled._

_The first time K ever had a nightmare about Finn, Klaus took it away. He had trouble making it through the fear induced cloud she surrounded her mind in and had no choice but to press his forehead to hers in order to get through. She had calmed instantly and ever since, it was how he would take her nightmares away. Eventually it became a personal form of affection shared only between them when they were alone. Despite everything that happened under his roof and the threats lingering outside his walls, they had something that helped both of them forget about it all._

The scene began to fade as she kissed Klaus. The following day Elijah would take her to the witch to be cursed into fear. He agreed to give his brother the day, K's birthday, but that was the last happy, untainted memory she had before everything changed.

And still her mind wandered while she slept.

"_Oh come on Amelia, she's old enough." K sighed as she leaned back in her chair._

"_I said no, and that's final." Amelia replied with a terse edge. She tried to keep her voice down so those in the diner wouldn't begin to pry. "I don't want Sheila getting used to you spoiling her. She needs to learn that not everything's going to be handed to her just because she knows a vampire."_

"_It's a concert." K said in a deadpan voice. "One of the hottest concerts in town. Besides, her birthday's coming up and I haven't been able to get her anything for a while."_

_Amelia didn't bother hiding her irritated glare. While she was more tolerant of K than her mother and before, she still wasn't as willing to let the relatively strange young woman take her daughter out. But, then again, Amelia was more than aware that K couldn't harm Sheila without in turn hurting herself._

"_She's sixteen." K added when Amelia hadn't said anything for awhile. "And this is a once in a lifetime chance."_

_Amelia ground her teeth and eventually sighed._

"_Fine." She replied._

_K smiled wide and couldn't hide her excitement. Even Amelia smiled softly at her reaction._

_When Amelia told Sheila that K had a surprise for her, the young witch was happy. She liked K more than her mother and grandmother, but she knew the reasons behind it. Her grandmother was Elizabeth, Emily's daughter and her family still hadn't quite forgiven the vampire for 'letting Emily die'._

_Later that night, K pulled up in her baby blue, 1967 Chevy Bellaire –last year's model- and raced for the front door at as much a normal speed as she could manage. Sheila was there to open it before the vampire even made it to the threshold._

"_Well?" she asked impatiently. The smile wouldn't fade. K always got her the best presents._

_Biting her bottom lip to keep from spilling the beans, K reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a ticket. She handed it to the eager young woman who read the headliner and immediately squealed. Sheila launched herself off the doorstep and wrapped her arms around K forcing the vampire to take a step back._

"_Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Sheila repeated over and over again._

"_You're welcome." K laughed as they parted. "Now come on. We don't want to be late, do we?"_

_They called a farewell to the woman remaining within the safety of the house and quickly set off for the concert._

_**Elvis Presley**_

_**One Night Only**_

_**Comeback Tour**_

_Was on the marquee when they pulled up to the venue. Sheila hadn't stopped bouncing in her seat._

_The concert was perfect and –being what she was- K made sure the birthday girl got to go backstage to meet the man himself. It wasn't difficult when no one knew about vervain outside of Mystic Falls._

_Sheila couldn't stop smiling. Her face hurt so much by the time they made it home. Even after she'd fallen asleep in the car ride home Sheila couldn't stop smiling._

_When they drove up, K slipped her arms beneath her friend and lifted her. She carried the teenager up the steps to the home. The porch light was still on and like she assumed, Amelia had waited up for them. She was a bit terse, but after seeing the joy on her slumbering daughter's face, Amelia did something she hadn't thought she would. She invited K into the house._

_Still holding Sheila, K continued into the home and soon set her in her bed so she could sleep._

_Amelia stood at the doorway as K slipped off Sheila's shoes and loosely threw the blanket over her before leaving. The two closed the door behind them._

_Amelia smiled warmly and said, "Thank you, Kalli."_

_K returned the affection and nodded. But as she left the house and the dream began to fade, her name followed her. It echoed around her and grew in volume._

"Kalli,"

K awoke with a start. She looked around, completely forgetting where she was or what was happening until she saw three people standing over her. Scott knelt down in front of the young woman while Derek and someone she didn't know stood behind him.

"How long have you been out here?" he asked worriedly.

"No clue." She admitted.

K took a deep breath and groaned, letting her head fall against the wall for a brief moment. Her body began to ache again the moment she was conscious. Hesitantly, K opened her eyes and trained them on the stranger.

"And you are?"

"Breadan." She answered shortly. "You the vampire?"

"Pft." K scoffed. She didn't even care that Breadan knew what she was. She was beyond caring honestly. Instead she struggled to stand and had to be aided by Scott. "I used to be a vampire. Now I'm just a weak, fragile sack of bones," she wiped her hand across her upper lip and removed a stream of black. "Oozing black blood."

Scott didn't remark on her statement, but glanced to Derek who seemed to share his concern.

The teenager tried to help K into the clinic, but she shoved him off as much as her weakened state would allow. She wanted to at least pretend she had the strength.

No one spoke as they made their way back through the halls and into the back room where K had taken up residence. She fell into the chair just as a thin sheen of sweat began to touch her forehead. She looked like a human with the flu who'd run a mile. She looked awful.

"We brought you some more blood." Scott said as he approached with a new canvas bag.

K's eyes shifted to the stranger and an unseen understanding moved between them. Even with her fevered brain, K sensed Breadan had been the one to steal the newest supply of blood and she was right. Derek didn't know anyone better and after a trip to a distant hospital, they had half a dozen bags of blood for the vampire who looked like she needed all of it.

"Thank you." She said as she reached for the IV bag still hanging where she'd left it. "But they're not helping."

Scott gave her a sad, pitiful look that made her want to hug him. It was just so innocent, especially coupled with his big brown eyes.

"They might."

A heavy smile touched her lips. Everyone knew she wasn't getting better, but they seemed to want to ignore it despite the evidence.

"Ok." She muttered.

Derek and Breadan left Scott to speak with K. He told her she'd get better, that she was fine and she just needed to rest, but she could see the apprehension in his eyes. He believed his words as much as she did, but felt the need to say them regardless.

With a parting farewell, they left K alone… again.

~~~!~~~


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

K was weak, much weaker than she had been in a while. In truth, the only time she felt like this was the last time she'd been bitten by a wolf and took all day to get the cure from Klaus. She could feel the life slipping from her then just as she could now, and it terrified her.

She knew, even being hidden away from anyone that might see her, that she wasn't going to survive the night. There was no way and nothing they were doing was helping. She rolled her heavy head towards the IVs connected to her arm. Yet another blood bag was flowing into her arm and she knew it'd end like the dozen before it. It would drip into her body, move through her veins and the virus would corrupt it just like it had the others. It did nothing to heal her, but they just kept trying.

There was no saving her this time and K knew it. That was the most frightening part. Every other time she'd been so gravely hurt, there was a loophole, but not now. Now there was nothing for her to do but sit in the chair and decay. She was literally rotting where she sat.

A twinge hit her gut. It didn't come from the virus running rampant through her body and she knew it. It came from her heart. K didn't want to be alone…

The phone rang and rang. No one answered and she didn't expect them to. No one in New Orleans ever answered their phones anymore. Her eyes began to tear. K had hoped to hear a familiar voice.

"_Leave a message after the beep."_ The computerized voice instructed.

_BEEP!_

K didn't immediately speak. Instead she stared at the ground with a pained expression. When she blinked, tears fell.

"I'm scared." She said before she could stop herself. She sniffed and felt her jaw quiver. In little more than 60 hours, K felt her control over her body and mind slipping away and it terrified her. "There's something wrong with me and I… I don't know if I can fix it." She hesitated to continue. K wasn't sure what she planned to say, so the words had trouble coming out. "I just…" her words cracked and she couldn't keep the tears from her voice. "I wanted to talk to you, one last time because I don't think I'll be coming back to New Orleans again." K's voice continued to quiver and only grew worse when she uttered something she never wanted to admit out loud, but felt happening. "I'm dying," she breathed. Her eyes fell to her hand. "I'm turning gray and it's getting worse… Poison," she scoffed the word. "Pathetic."

K paused for another moment. Her brows slowly came together and the tears fell like before. Even trying to act as though it didn't bother her didn't work. Every time she thought about being killed by some ridiculous poison, it hurt. It wasn't even vervain. K had to be a vampire killed by a poison other than vervain…

"I'm sorry, Niklaus," she whispered finally. "I'd hoped to see everyone one last time."

K went silent again. She pressed her free hand to her forehead as though shielding herself from someone watching even though she knew there was no one. She tried to stay brave, but she couldn't. Ordinarily she would have been, but she didn't really know anything and that was the problem.

She was embarking on something new and wanted a familiar face with her just like anyone else would. Sometimes, she was still so very human and because of that only wanted the people she cared about near her. She only wanted someone to hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright even if it was a lie.

"Hyvästi," she whispered finally. "Rakkaani."

She hung up quickly, dropping her phone into her lap in the process. She buried her face in her hands and tried to steady her breath. It didn't work. Instead, K began to cry into her hands without sign of stopping. She was alone in a city she barely knew surrounded by people she'd known for even less time.

An hour had passed before she dared try to call another soul.

Reaching for her phone again, K began to sift through the numbers. She jut wanted to hear a familiar voice, to speak to a friend for once…

K highlighted the name and called someone she prayed would answer.

"_K, hi."_ Hayley answered unsurely.

"It sounds like you're hiding who you're talking to." K laughed. Her voice was as weak as the rest of her and she knew the hybrid on the other end of the line could hear it.

"_Are you okay?"_ Hayley asked with honest concern.

K's eyes began to tear before she could stop them. The fear seemed to intensify without her consent until it flowed out of her.

"No," she answered with a shaking voice. "Not really."

"_What's wrong? What happened?"_

Hayley could hear clearly that K was crying and it worried her. She couldn't remember ever seeing K cry other than Adam's death in the bayou. Despite every horrible thing that happened while she was in New Orleans, K only cried once and that added more worry to Hayley's mind.

Without speaking, K pulled her phone back and pressed the _facetime_ button. The phone shifted its screen from the standard layout to the one needed to video chat with someone. To her grateful surprise, Hayley accepted the call and soon K could see her. She smiled heavily, but warmly.

"_Oh my god…"_ she muttered. If Hayley was trying to hide her shock at what she was seeing, it didn't work.

"Yeah," K sighed. Her eyes continued to tear as she looked at Hayley. "You look great though." K laughed weakly. "Being a hybrid works for you."

"_What happened?"_ Hayley asked sadly, ignoring K's compliments entirely.

"Oh, nothing." K said. She tried to downplay the events greatly. "I was just shot."

"_With what? Vervain?"_

K shook her head slowly.

"No. Something else." She said as she looked down to her lap. "But it's okay. Someone helped me out." She forced a weak laugh, but still didn't look up. "I think I'm a little different than the strays dogs and cats he usually works on."

Silence moved between them for a moment or two. Hayley saw her brows pull together and knew K was about to start crying again. Hayley was having trouble keeping from doing it herself.

"I uh…" K stammered. She chewed on her bottom lip for a while before looking back at the screen. In the small box, K saw her reflection and noticed her nose was bleeding again. Hayley's free hand came to her mouth in silent shock while K simply wiped the black blood away as though it had become a common occurrence because it had. "I just wanted to say goodbye." She finally gave her attention to Hayley. "And that I hope everything gets better for you. I really do."

"_What do you mean __goodbye__?"_

"I'm dying, Hayley." She breathed. In the short time they'd been talking, K's voice had turned gravely and weaker than before. "And there's nothing anyone can do about it."

"_Come home. Klaus'll heal you. Just come home."_ She said desperately.

"I can't." K replied. "He compelled me to stay away." She blinked and set the gathered tears free. Her voice began to quiver. "I can't ever come home."

"_Then call him and tell him what's happening!"_

"He won't answer." She said softly. "I've tried."

Hayley's brows pulled together so tightly it hurt, but there was nothing else she could do. She was almost two thousand miles away.

"Take care of them, okay?" K said with a weak smile. "Bye Hayley."

"_Kalli, wa-"_

But K ended the call before Hayley could say anything else. K dropped the phone into her lap and again buried her face in her hands to steady her breath and her head.

Eventually, K pulled her hands away from her face, ignored the black blood on her palms and turned her hands over to look at the back. The color had saturated her fingertips and it was slowly creeping up her hands. Her brow furrowed and K found herself wondering if she even had the night.

The question of whether or not she would survive no longer mattered. Clearly she wasn't going to. The new question became how she planned to die. Was she going to sit there and wither away, or was she going to take matters into her own hands?

K looked around the room for something that might help her, but there was nothing. She couldn't even take off her necklace and burn in the sun because of the stone she put in her heart. Then her eyes fell to her chair. It was wood.

Lifting her hand up, K brought it down as hard as she could on the arm of the chair. The wood splintered, but did little else. It appeared her body had grown so weak she was barely stronger than a human. With a deep breath, she repeated the action and the arm came free. It toppled to the ground with the same hollow clack she expected from the element.

K bent over from her seated position –nearly falling- and grabbed the piece of splintered, broken wood. She stared at it, held it in her hand and felt the weight of what she wanted to do. K had never contemplated suicide, not really at least. There were times she was low like anyone else, but this was different. Was it really considered suicide if you were already dying? Without a hope of healing herself within a thousand miles, the stake was slowly becoming her only option.

Taking a breath, K raised the stake to her chest. She placed it just above her heart and pressed the jagged tip into her shirt. K's closed her eyes and felt her face twist into sadness. She took one steadying breath after another, counting internally until she would have the courage to do it.

She slowly pressed it harder and harder into her chest, struggled to pierce the skin and finish the job. She slammed her eyes closed tighter than before. Her hands began to shake and couldn't stop, even after she placed her palm against the butt of the wood. She ground her teeth and before she could stop it, K cried out. She hoped it would give her the strength, that the battle cry would help, but it didn't.

Her arms fell and along with them the stake. K opened her eyes and stared at the chunk of chair arm in her hand. She started to cry. She couldn't even do it when she knew it was more merciful than what was waiting for her.

Angrily, K threw the stake across the room and buried her face in her hands. K began to cry again.

Deaton heard her scream. He'd jogged towards the room thinking something was wrong, only to find her sitting where he'd left her with a stake in her hands. He felt fear shoot through him at the thought of what she'd do, but his worry ended when she tossed it away. Still, she remained in the seat crying and broken.

He walked into the room and knelt in front of her. K looked through her fingers and saw him staring sadly at her.

"It's going to be alright."

She could see the lie as plainly as he could, but she could also see that Deaton needed to believe it. K simply shook her head and showed him her hands. He took them gingerly into his own and examined the grey skin her fingers and the backs of her hands were now covered in.

"I'm dying." She told him simply. Deaton met her sad eyes. "We turn grey when we die."

"I'm aware." He said under his breath. "Is that what the stake's for?"

She nodded heavily. Her brows came together again and the tears returned. Deaton stared at the young woman who suddenly looked like a sickly little girl. She no longer looked like a confident woman, like a predator or a monster. She was nothing more than a frightened, ailing and dying child. It was heartbreaking.

"Let me help you." He finally said.

K nodded again.

~!~

Everything was setup for the following day. While Deaton was busy with the preparations, K was busy in the other room. She asked him for a few simple supplies that she wanted and he didn't question the request. She wanted paper, a pen, four single envelopes and a large manila envelope to mail them in. Being a clinic and an office, Deaton was more than capable of handing her what she needed. With everything in hand, K staggered to another room to write the letters she wanted to write.

She had a difficult time trying to figure out who she wanted to write first, but eventually the words began and she was able to create the letters she wanted to. She wrote to Elijah, forgiving him completely for what he'd done to her and wishing him the best of luck in everything he tried to do for his family. She told him she honestly hoped he succeeded in getting the family he wanted.

She wrote Hayley though that was much shorter. She told the wolf she was sorry for the misfortunes that befell her and that she hoped everything would come back around. She was sure to capitalize 'hope' just to ensure Hayley knew K meant her daughter.

She wrote Rebekah too. She told the blond she didn't blame her for trying to murder her a thousand years ago, that it didn't really matter and that she wished the two of them would have swallowed their pride sooner. K told her that Rebekah was perhaps the most resilient woman she'd ever met and that she pitied anyone stupid enough to go against the Viking.

Last came Klaus. His letter was the hardest to start, but it didn't seem to want to end once she'd begun. She had a lot to tell him, thank him for and condemn him for as well. She openly told him she hated him for sending her away considering what had transpired since she arrived in Beacon Hills. She 'yelled' at him for the better part of a whole page, front and back, before changing directions quickly. After finally airing her grievances with the hybrid, K told him how thankful she was. She told him everything she hadn't been able to when she was in New Orleans because everything was still so odd, foreign and chaotic. And she told him she loved him.

With a few tears gathering in her eyes, K folded each letter and slipped them into their respective envelopes with the name of who they were meant for written on the outside. She then dumped the sealed envelopes into the largest one and scribbled the address on the front. After sealing it too, she made her way back into the main examination room.

Deaton looked up as he finished hanging a clear bag of sedative from a stand. He noticed the objects in her hands and offered to take them from her.

"Can you mail that for me as soon as possible, please?"

"Of course." He nodded.

Deaton set the envelope aside just as someone else emerged from behind. K turned and noticed Scott. He smiled weakly at best and she returned the sentiment.

"What are you doing here?" she asked so softly he almost couldn't hear her speaking.

"Support." He said with a shrug that told her even he didn't know.

K let a smile grace her face. To her surprise, Scott wasn't alone. Standing over his shoulder was Stiles. Like every other time she'd seen him, he moved uncomfortably. He wouldn't even meet her eyes for very long which proved how nervous he was.

"Poor thing," K found herself saying as she pulled herself up onto the metallic table. Stiles looked up through his lashes to realize she was speaking to him. "God only knows how this looks to you."

"It's not that, it's just…" Stiles hesitated. His eyes darted around before settling on her again. "Are you seriously going to let them put you to sleep?"

"I'm not euthanizing her Stiles." Deaton sighed as he threaded a needle into the IV tubing. "It's a sedative so she can sleep."

K mused lightly to herself before presenting Stiles with her hands. He and Scott took steps closer to better see the grey that saturated her entire hand. K pulled back the sleeve of her shirt to the center of her bicep, revealing how high it had climbed. It nearly reached her elbow and even in the few seconds they stared, it seemed to crawl higher.

"I'm dying." She told him. "We turn grey like this when we die."

"So that's it? You're not going to do anything about it?"

"There's nothing to do." She told him honestly. "There's nothing here that can heal me fast enough. At this point, I'd need to drain someone else who can heal like me and I can't do that. I don't even have the strength to try." Her face fell and she dropped her arms. "This is where my story ends, I'm afraid."

"Is that stuff even going to work?"

He didn't know why he kept asking questions, or why he seemed so offended by someone he barely knew giving up, but he was. Stiles was having trouble comprehending her not fighting. After seeing how she helped everyone else without a second thought, he didn't understand how she couldn't do the same for herself. The truth was, she couldn't. Her only possible hope was in another city, in another state, two thousand miles away and had forbid her from returning.

"I don't know." Deaton replied honestly. He looked to K as she made herself as comfortable on the table as she could. "But with you being so weak, it might."

She gave his as reassuring a smile as she could manage and nodded. With his help, K laid down on the table and let him slip the needle into the same hole they'd been using for the blood, the one that hadn't healed since being opened. It only lent further proof to the fact that her body was giving up.

The sedative began to seep into her veins. K could feel it moving into her body and slowly taking the perpetual ache away. She'd been in pain since her body started to deteriorate, but had grown accustomed to it as the hours went by. Now, it was slowly fading and with it her awareness.

K's eyes began to drift and she slowly slipped into a sleep. Tears gathered in her eyes and began to fall softly down the sides of her face. She knew she'd never wake up, that she'd never see the sun again, or the moon, or the people she cared about. She was dying in a room of strangers without the people that meant the most to her. She came into the world the same way, so it made sad and logical sense that it would be the way she'd leave it too.

She slipped deeper and deeper into sleep while the others watched, helpless to stop it. As the minutes ticked by, it wasn't only the sedative that spread. They could see the grey take over her toes and slowly climb upward. It was beginning to move faster than before letting them know that whatever a vampire had for an immune system had given up completely. The veins in her arms and legs slowly began to rise and Deaton –the only one who'd seen a staked vampire- knew she had minutes at best.

As the room became stifling to the point half of its inhabitants wanted to leave, a thunderous boom echoed around them. The trio jumped, their nerves were immediately on end and before they could decipher where the sound had come from, they heard it again. The air shook from the force and when it came again, the door didn't stand a chance. It sailed into the room, passed Stiles and Scott and nearly hit the distant wall in the process.

Stunned, they turned their attention to the doorway that led to the alley. A figure loomed within the threshold.

"Get away from her." He hissed.


	12. Chapter 12

**WOW! Thank you to everyone who favorited, commented and followed this within the first day of me posting it. It means a lot. Thank you and I hope you enjoy. **

**Chapter 12**

The air grew tense and cold within milliseconds after the stranger appeared. No one moved. They weren't certain what to do, but the stranger had his own ideas. Before they could blink, he appeared at K's side.

His cold, calculating eyes darted along her features. He read the chemical name on the hanging IV and removed the needle from her arm immediately. When it was gone, he took her arm in his hands and began to turn it one way and the other, examining the veins and grey tone that had overtaken the limb.

"How long has she been like this?" he asked simply after a few moments of inspecting her. No one offered an answer. His gaze came up and fell to each of them briefly. "How long has she been like this?" he repeated sternly.

"She's only been unconscious-" Deaton began before being interrupted.

"I meant this," he offered them her graying hand. "How long has she been like _this_?"

"Little more than a day." Deaton said. "But she's been sick for nearly four."

The dark haired stranger growled to himself. He continued to stare at K, this time taking her face gently into his hand. He tenderly tapped her cheek with the back of his hand to try and rouse her.

She didn't speak, but he noticed her brows furrow. It was a good sign. It meant she was waking.

Leaving her side, he reached for a beaker he'd seen while looking over her and a scalpel. Still confused, the three who'd been there at K's side before, watched as he began to remove his suit jacket. He folded it like the proper gentleman he appeared to be and set it on another long metal table that ran the length of the wall beneath the window. He noticed an envelope with his family name and made an internal note to take it when he left.

"Who are you?" Scott found himself asking.

"My name is Elijah Mikaelson." He replied simply as he rolled up the sleeve of his pale blue shirt.

Deaton recognized the name while Scott and Stiles were oblivious. He felt his blood run cold as he remembered the horror stories told of the Mikaelson family.

"An Original." The phrase escaped his lips before he could stop them. Elijah simply glanced up through his lashes and raised a slow brow.

"Yes." He answered simply as he continued to roll up his sleeve.

When it was out of the way, he didn't hesitate to slice into his wrist and begin to fill the beaker with his own blood. Deaton and Scott watched while Stiles stifled a gag and turned his back briefly.

"What are you doing?" Stiles muttered.

"Attempting to feed her." Elijah replied. He may have answered their questions, but he did it tersely, and without patience. "Clearly whatever you've been doing to help -if anything at all- hasn't been working."

"We've been giving her blood," Deaton explained. "But the poison kept infecting it."

"Well, then perhaps you're lucky my brother wasn't the one who kicked in the door." Elijah sighed. He pulled out the scalpel and let the wound heal. When it had, he stood at K's side again and gently lifted her head. "I think it's fair to say the three of you would be dead long before he bothered to ask questions."

Elijah put the nearly full beaker to her lips and prayed she had the wherewithal to drink. It took a moment, but soon the animal inside her had no choice but to swallow the one thing it desired more than anything. Veins protruded around her eyes and he knew her fangs were loose and her eyes bloodshot beneath her lids.

"There we are," he said softly to the young woman feeding. "Slowly, Kalli."

If she heard his warning to drink slowly, she didn't heed it. She gulped at the blood until Elijah was forced to turn the beaker upside down so she could finish it off. When it was empty, he pulled it away and let her head rest against the table again.

"Now then," he said, again addressing the others when he returned to the scalpel. He sliced into his wrist again for another round of blood. "Which of you can tell me what the hell happened?"

Again they hesitated to speak. It wasn't until Elijah gave them another stern and warning glare that the information seemed to come back to them.

"There was a shooting a few days ago." Deaton answered. "Mercenaries found her and she was shot, repeatedly."

Elijah looked up again when he hesitated to continue.

"Clearly, there is more to the story than simple bullets." He said with a tight jaw.

"They were laced." Scott said. "With poison."

Elijah sighed heavily. "Perhaps you should simply tell me everything instead of select bits of information, before I lose my patience."

There was something foreboding and frightening about him that made the others truly consider his offer. Elijah seemed to exude some kind of ominous power that bothered them all.

"There have been assassins moving through Beacon Hills." Deaton said. "They've been targeting the supernatural beings that live here. Until now, they've seemed to know what they were hunting, but these particular mercenaries created a toxin that can kill a wide gamut of creatures, not just werewolves. They managed to weaponize spider venom, making it nearly impossible for Kalli to heal."

"Hm." He grumbled to himself.

Elijah again returned to K's side and took her head gently in his grip to feed her. This time when she finished the beaker, she had the ability to open her eyes. When she finally found focus on Elijah, she couldn't keep her brows from pulling together.

"Elijah?" she asked with a thick voice. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled softly and set the beaker down.

"I've come to help you."

"I don't," K tried to push herself up to better speak, but she had trouble doing so. Instead, she fell back onto the table with a soft groan. "How'd you find me?" she asked as she pressed her hand against her aching head.

He smiled wryly to himself.

"Give me more credit than that, child." He told her warmly.

Elijah reached forward and with two fingers gently moved her chin to the side. The grey that had begun to crawl up the side of her neck had hesitated. Even since he'd arrived he watched it climb, but now it seemed frozen just beneath her ears and at her jaw line. His eyes narrowed briefly.

"But you're supposed to be in New Orleans, with your family."

"I'd have thought it would be obvious at this point." he sighed as he examined her for a moment longer before meeting her gaze. He smiled kindly when their eyes met. "You are nothing if not family, Kalli."

A deep form of reverence began to ignite in her eyes that made his smile broaden slightly, but it was true. Considering the things K had been through with the Mikaelsons while she was alive and her willingness to put herself in the middle of the fight in order to protect Hayley and Hope, Elijah could see her as little else. A wise woman would have run for the hills after so many different instances, but she never did. She was always there.

"One more." He said after a moment and mostly to himself.

When Elijah returned to the beaker and scalpel for one final round of blood, Deaton took the chance to step towards her.

"Kalli," he said kindly. She rolled her head to face him and saw the worry. It forced her to smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." She sighed.

He shared the weak smile. Deaton's eyes shifted to the young man who was nearly finished filling the glass beaker. They slowly returned to the woman on the table.

"Are you certain?"

It took her a moment before K realized he was asking if the man feeding her his blood was actually the friend he claimed to be. Again she smiled warmly and nodded. He hardly seemed appeased by her answer, but had no choice but to move back when Elijah returned. Again, Deaton had grown up hearing horror stories about the ruthless Originals.

Like the two times before, Elijah nursed her gently from the beaker until its contents were gone. When she lay back down he inspected her neck a final time. The grey was receding. It was slow, but the grey was fading. Elijah immediately sighed heavy relief.

Elijah stepped back to the table and set the beaker down. He began to unroll his sleeve and dress once again.

"It's time to go, Kalli." Elijah told her as he threaded his arms through his jacket.

"Where do you plan on taking her, exactly?" Deaton asked sternly.

"Home." He answered easily. Elijah met the man's gaze as he folded the manila envelope in half and slipped it into his breast pocket.

K sat up. She groaned, feeling like an old woman as she did so, and threw her legs over the edge of the table. She meant to stand, but didn't have the strength. Elijah swooped in and caught her. He lifted her into his arms. She looked over Elijah's shoulder before they left. She smiled to them all.

"Thank you, so much." She told them, but before any of them could say a thing in return, Elijah was gone, disappearing just as suddenly as he'd appeared.

Stiles, Scott and Deaton were left alone with little sign K had ever been in the clinic to begin with. They weren't certain how to comprehend what had transpired in such a short period of time.

"The hell just happened?" Stiles found himself blurting.

Deaton fought with the idea of telling Scott or Stiles about the Originals, but seeing as one had already found his way to town, Deaton knew they teens needed as much information as he could give.

"The Mikaelsons are known as the Original Family." Deaton said. He moved forward and began to cleanup the mess left behind. "They're the progenitors of the entire vampire race."

"Seriously?" Scott asked. He couldn't hide his shock.

"Yes." Deaton nodded and turned to face the two staring at him slack jawed. "There are rumors about how many there really is. I've heard there are five, but also three and it's those three that have the more brutal reputations."

"Well what about that Elijah guy?" Stiles asked.

"From what I've heard, Elijah is the honorable one." He said. The others seemed to relax marginally that a psycho killer hadn't taken Kalli. "But his siblings…" Deaton hesitated. "Let's just hope neither of them come to Beacon Hills."

~~!~~

The pair made their way to K's home within a few short minutes. Elijah didn't need to be told where to go because he'd been there before.

When they stopped at her door, Elijah let her down so she could open it. K hesitated. She wasn't sure if it was locked or not. While it wouldn't keep her from getting inside, she didn't want to have to break something to do so. With a quick yank of the handle, the door slid open without hesitation. Derek had fixed most of it, but hadn't changed the locks until he knew what was going to happen with the young woman who lived there.

K and Elijah walked into the apartment. She found herself leaning more on things as she passed them than she wanted to, but she also felt her strength coming back. It was an incredible sensation she was afraid she'd never feel again.

"You should sit." He told her as he removed his jacket once more. Elijah knew she needed to heal much more than she had and he wasn't entirely certain her own immune system had reached that level of health yet.

K didn't want to do as he told her, but she didn't have the strength to argue with him either. Stepping over the pool of dried black blood that would likely never come out of her floor, K made her way into the living room and fell into the closest seat. She propped her elbow on the arm of the chair and buried her swimming head in her hand.

"So," K sighed into her hand. Elijah looked to her and waited to hear what she had to say. "Now that we don't have an audience," K met his gaze. "Why are you really here?"

He eyed her curiously. He didn't immediately understand the question. She could tell, but Elijah was smart enough to put it together quickly.

"I wasn't lying." He said finally. "We have come to consider you apart of this family."

"Really…" she didn't sound like she fully believed him.

K broke eye contact with him and began to stare at her hands as though she were examining them. Elijah was astute enough to see what really bothered her. It had nothing to do with why he was there for her. It had to do with _him_ being the one who'd come. Elijah sighed internally.

"I haven't seen my brother in days." Elijah admitted after a few moments of silence. K's eyes traveled up and noticed him roll up his sleeve again like he had in the clinic. "No one has."

"Is he okay?" K asked before she could stop herself.

Elijah didn't immediately offer an answer. He didn't want to get into what had been happening in New Orleans since K's departure and instead shifted to the task that demanded his immediate attention.

"You need to feed," He said. "Before the infection comes back."

He reached forward and took her hand, guiding her to her feet. Elijah moved the pair of them to the couch where they could both comfortably fit because each knew this wasn't going to be over quickly.

Elijah cradled the young woman to his side like he would his own child. She had her back to his chest and he offered her his wrist which K freely bit into. He gasped sharply through his teeth at the sensation, but did nothing to stop it. Instead, his mind began to travel to the things happening at home.

K drank as much as she could. She felt the healing factor of his blood course through her and take with it the pain and tiredness the poison had forced on her. While the human blood had curdled in her stomach, Elijah's proceeded through her body like it was meant to. And still she drank.

Minutes passed and Elijah said nothing as she continued to feed from him. He knew she needed it and that he or his siblings were perhaps the only ones who could help stave off K's death so he didn't care how much she needed. He felt responsible in many ways to help her. So many times she'd put herself in harms way for his family. The incident that stuck with him the most and made it all the easier to consider her part of his family was her helping find Hope for the entire day despite dying from a werewolf bite. She didn't once hesitate and for that he would be eternally grateful. A little blood was the least he could do.

He propped his elbow up on the arm of the couch and his chin in his palm. Elijah's eyes lost focus as he thought about his brother. He ran his index finger pensively along his bottom lip. Klaus's behavior had been erratic to say the least. There was a mild cease-fire between the Mickaelsons and Marcel's faction, and little else. The tension between the Guerra wolves alongside that of the witches was growing to the point of suffocation. Then there was Hayley… the new hybrid was angry, angrier than Elijah had ever seen her before. It was clear both parents were suffering the loss of their daughter, but didn't they realize what they were doing served no one?

After a while, Elijah began to realize his wrist had heeled and he no longer felt light headed. K had drunk a substantial amount, enough to Original felt it, but now there was nothing. He glanced down at the young woman to see her sleeping on his side. A small smile tugged on his lips. She'd drank so much, she slipped into a blood-coma.

Elijah moved from beneath her easily without her noticing and lifted K into his arms. He took her to her bedroom which was little more than a few yards away and was ready to lay her down when he noticed a pillow smeared with black blood. Scowling, Elijah tucked her in on the other side of the bed and removed the pillow entirely before returning to the living room.

He poured himself a drink from her bar, unrolled his sleeve and retrieved the manila envelope he'd taken from the vet clinic along with K. Regaining his seat on the couch; Elijah opened the envelope easily to find more inside. He raised a curious brow to the four individually sealed envelopes bearing the names of everyone in their ever shrinking circle of friends and family. Elijah couldn't fight the mild smile that formed when he read the names, or the chuckle that escaped when he noticed Klaus's was a bit thicker than the others. He wasn't surprised.

He set the other three back within the manila envelope and to the side, but took his own into his hands. He tore through it and realized quickly it was a last testament.

_Elijah,_

His name was written in beautiful script along with the rest of the letter. It wasn't intentional, simply how she wrote, but it did add an odd sense of elegance to what was meant to be 'words from beyond the grave'.

_I'm aware this will sound a bit ridiculous, but by the time you read this, I'll likely be gone. In case you weren't the one to open the original envelope, be aware there are four. Please do me the favor of ensuring Hayley gets hers and Rebekah hers when you finally cross paths with your sister._

_I understand Nik's sending me away was meant to save me, but in turn did the exact opposite. There's someone here calling themselves The Benefactor. He (or she honestly) is bankrolling the extermination of every supernatural creature in Beacon Hills. Four days ago I found my name on the list for a paltry 20 million dollars. Honestly, I think I'm worth more than that._

He chuckled at her offense to the otherwise high sum of money.

_Regardless, I was made a target and became one. I was shot outside a hospital, foolishly trying to save someone else and of course taking the brunt of it. Whoever they were, they were smart enough to find a toxin that seems to work wonders on vampires. I'm still not entirely certain what they used, but whatever it is it's eating away at my body. It's quite disgusting really, feeling yourself decay, but there you go._

_I told you that simply to keep from unneeded bloodshed. While I doubt Klaus would come here for some form of revenge, I don't want him to go after the wrong people. I don't want another repeat of last time. People may notice an entire city's population showing up dead more now than they did in 1036._

_I also wanted to say I forgive you. I doubt that means a great deal to you, especially over nine centuries later, but I do. I understand why you thought I had to be eliminated. I understand you wanted to keep your family safe and I understand why you removed every memory I had of any of you._

_The amount of conflict that follows you and your family is staggering to say the least. You're always running, always fighting and always struggling to remain alive. It's a horrible way to spend a millennia and I Hope it's not how you spend the next. I Hope all of you can come together and finally be a family without hatred and malice whether it comes from inside your circle or not. I Hope you find happiness, all of you. The three of you have lived so long you tend to forget that you yourselves aren't truly immortal. Don't waste the rest of your lives fighting each other._

_With all sincerity,_

_Kalliope._

Elijah read the letter twice before he felt he'd absorbed the entirety of it. His eyes slowly traveled to the woman lying in bed on the other side of the apartment and wondered. He found himself partially wanting to rip open the other three just to see what she could have written all of them, but he didn't. He was polite enough not to, but still he wondered.

She might not have thought her forgiveness mattered to him, but it did. While he hadn't thought of her often through the centuries (perhaps once a decade or more) he always knew he'd done the right thing. It wasn't until he saw her again that he realized perhaps her staying with his family might not have been the worst thing in the world. Then again, she obviously wouldn't have become the woman she was if she had.

Elijah folded his letter and returned it to its envelope. He reached for his scotch and drank, all the while watching the young woman sleep. She seemed to know nothing but compassion and understanding. It must be exhausting for her. It was for him, that's why he was known to slip on more than one occasion, but Kalli…

~~~!~~~

~~!~~

~!~


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Klaus sat alone. He'd been avoiding everyone who knew him for days. He couldn't face them and was more than content to dwell within the shadows away from everyone.

At the moment he sat in the corner of his study, brooding and dwelling on everything that had gone wrong in the passed few days. It was all so fresh, so new and just as painful as when it happened. Her fingers itched for blood.

The bottle at his side was nearly empty, his glass the same, and all the while Klaus couldn't stop looking at his phone. Every time the screen would hibernate, he'd unlock it again just to stare at the little phone icon with a single number 1 illuminated. It was a voicemail, the only one he hadn't listened to, and it was from K. He didn't have the courage to listen to it and because he hadn't it mocked him. For nearly a day and a half, the number mocked him.

As the liquor in the bottle began to diminish, so did his apprehension. Soon, Klaus found himself simply wishing to hear her voice. He'd left it alone for so long because he knew hearing her voice would be enough to either send him running after her or caving in and telling her he wanted her to come home. There was no doubt in his mind, but the alcohol was starting to make him think that perhaps the few days she'd been gone were enough to harden his resolve.

Deciding he knew better, Klaus took his phone and opened the voicemail. There was a hesitation before he heard her speak. Klaus's breath hitched briefly.

"_I'm scared."_ She told him. Her words didn't immediately connect with him, he was simply happy to hear her speaking. _"There's something wrong with me and I… I don't know if I can fix it. I just…" _her words cracked and she couldn't keep the tears from her voice. _"I wanted to talk to you, one last time because I don't think I'll be coming back to New Orleans again."_ Klaus's eyes narrowed. He could hear fear in her words, the sound of her nearing tears and it was enough to make him pay attention. The few breaths she took before speaking were enough to nearly send him through his skin. _"I'm dying,"_ Klaus's breath was stolen from him. She was wrong, surely she was wrong. _"I'm turning gray and it's getting worse… Poison," _she scoffed the word. "_Pathetic_."

His throat went dry and Klaus found himself wishing he'd listened to the voicemail sooner. It was nearly thirty hours old and vampires weren't necessarily subject to long, drawn out disease.

"_I'm sorry, Niklaus."_ She went on to say. "_I'd hope to see everyone one last time."_ And as though his heart could sink no further, she added, "_Hyvästi rakkaani."_

Klaus shot up from his seat, knocking the table in the process, but he was gone long before the bottle fell to the tabletop. He burst through the doors into the center of the compound within seconds.

"Elijah!" he bellowed. His voice echoed off the walls, but the eldest didn't emerge. "ELIJAH!" his throat turned hoarse for a moment after the scream and still his brother didn't appear.

"He's gone." A softer voice said from behind just as Klaus was ready to tear his home apart looking for his brother. Klaus spun on his heel and spotted Hayley standing on a ledge up above, leaning against the railing with the sincerest form of uncaring he'd ever seen. "He left earlier this morning."

"Where?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"He went to be with Kalli so she wouldn't die alone."

Klaus felt a stab at his chest at her cold words. Before she could see his feet leave the ground, Klaus was up the steps and at her side. He had Hayley by the throat and pinned to the wall.

"How do you know she's dying?"

"Because she called me." Hayley replied. She shoved Klaus off her so she could speak freely. She glared hatefully at the hybrid. "After _you_ didn't pick up your damn phone, K called me. I saw her, saw what she looked like." Hayley's expression softened and soon turned sad. "Her nose was bleeding black blood and her hands…" Hayley's head dipped slightly. "She was turning gray. She looked half dead."

Klaus felt his resolve shift. Soon he wasn't angry anymore, simply frightened. He didn't bother to pack, to call anyone or do anything other than leave. Klaus fled the compound and was gone just as suddenly as he appeared.

~!~

Elijah was sitting on the couch where he'd been since K fell asleep. He was nursing another glass of whiskey while reading a book from K's expansive collection. He was simply looking for a way to pass the time until she woke again for another feeding. He was like her round of antibiotics. She'd need more than one dosage to make sure the virus was gone.

He'd checked on her nearly an hour ago for the third time since she'd fallen asleep. The gray had subsided, but it hadn't gone far. When he found her, it kissed the nape of her neck just below her ears. Now it had sunk to the base of her throat. It was an improvement, but not one he felt comfortable leaving to Fate.

As he turned the page, K's door suddenly flew open. It hit the stoppers at the end so hard they splintered and nearly came off their frame. He raised a brow at the obviously irate and terrified hybrid standing in the threshold.

"Do keep it down, would you?" he asked leisurely as he returned his attention to the book in his grip. "She's sleeping."

Klaus stepped into the apartment. He'd known her address for awhile. When she left Mystic Falls, he wasn't above sending a hybrid after her to find where she planned to live. It gave him the chance to send her the flowers he had when Bonnie died, and find her now that she clearly needed him.

His feet fell heavily on the concrete floor. His nerves hadn't calmed, and even though Elijah seemed at ease, Klaus couldn't make the leap. It seemed even further out of reach when he noticed the dried pool of black blood on the ground before reaching the open archway that led to her bedroom.

K was lying on her back with her head to the side. Her left arm hung lazily off the side of the bed and a portion of her left leg peeked out from under the white goose-down comforter. He could see her chest rise and fall softly with each breath so it gave him the courage to step forward. She gradually came into view the longer he approached. Klaus was so engrossed in what he was seeing; he didn't notice his brother watching him from the couch.

When he finally reached the side of her bed, he was privy to what the others already knew. Her arm was clearly on display along with the gray tone that marred her skin. Her hands and arms were saturated in it and the veins were clearly protruding. He'd seen it on more than his fair share of dead vampires. Eventually his eyes traveled to her leg. It was visible from the knee down and looked just the same as her arm. Klaus's brows came together tightly as he slowly closed the distance between himself and the bed.

With a soft touch, he reached forward. Klaus took the blanket between two fingers and gently moved it aside so he could better see her neck. Her hair was already off to the side in the loose bun it had been in for days and the collar of her men's shirt was loose enough he could see the upper portion of her chest. When the blanket was out of the way, he clearly saw the same gray that had inched its way up her chest and to the base of her throat. His stomach fell further than before.

"What happened?" he asked in his normal voice. Klaus had no reason to continue yelling now that she was so close. He didn't wish to wake her either when she clearly needed rest.

"She was poisoned." Elijah answered simply from his spot on the couch.

Klaus said nothing for a moment. Instead he did something that made Elijah a bit proud. With the dexterity and skill his species was known for, Klaus slipped into the bed behind K without the slightest creak of the springs. He slid effortlessly beside her and leaned against the headboard.

"How?" he asked calmly.

Elijah didn't answer. Instead, he set his book aside and stood. He reached for the manila envelope and removed his brother's letter. Still watching Klaus, he saw his brother reach forward and gently run his index finger along the curve of K's exposed neck. The soft action didn't go unnoticed by the sleeping woman, but she didn't wake. Instead she took a breath and rolled onto her right side. She cradled the blanket to her chest and curled into herself enough her forehead touched the side of Klaus's arm. He did nothing more than lift it and rest it on the back of her pillow so he could gently run his fingers over her hair as though he was comforting the sleeping woman.

A second after she stopped moving and Klaus found his new spot, Elijah appeared at his side. He said nothing, but handed Klaus an envelope. Klaus's brows came together curiously, but again Elijah said nothing. Instead he walked back to the couch and returned to reading his book.

Klaus eyed his brother curiously for a moment before looking to the envelope and seeing his name written across it. He cocked a brow. With little effort, he opened it and unfolded the letter within. When it was held securely in his hand, he returned to stroking the ailing woman's hair and read.

_Nik,_

_You son of a bitch._

The opening line caused him to raise his brow again and slowly shift to look at the woman beside him. He wasn't completely surprised by it, but still hadn't thought it would've been her opening.

_This is all your fault._ She went on to say. _I'm sitting here in a vet's office dying because you sent me away. You don't answer your phone when I call because you're scared. You self-centered, egotistical ass. I needed your help. I needed you to save me, protect me like you always promised. But no, you sent me away and now I'm rotting from the inside out. I can actually feel everything breaking down. Do you have any idea how disgusting that feels? No, because you refuse to answer your phone. I didn't even have the chance to say goodbye. Instead I've no choice but to write a letter._

Klaus hesitated to read further. He wondered how many of the pages would be her yelling at him and berating him for the obviously wrong decision. But he had no choice. His curiosity won out regardless of what he assumed the letter would contain.

_That being said, _it seemed to be getting better. _It's my own fault I'm in this situation._ His eyes narrowed skeptically on that sentence. _If I hadn't bothered trying to help that stupid woman, I never would've been shot. I'd have been gone long before they knew I was there. By the way, the one responsible is known as the Benefactor. He's sent mercenaries after every supernatural being in Beacon Hills. No one seems to know who he is, but the shooters should be easier to find. If you do find them, be sure to peel their skin from their bodies before they die. I'd do it myself, but it doesn't seem as though I'll survive the night._

Klaus continued to read. The letter grew kinder after the initial paragraph. It was clear she was angry and considering the damage left behind even after he assumed Elijah had fed her, she had every right to be. Klaus would have laid waste to everything within reach if he'd been in her shoes.

The majority of the letter was reliving times passed that made him smile while insults were woven within. Honestly, those made him smile too. He couldn't help it. He could hear her voice in his head as she insulted him on paper.

Eventually he reached the final page and it seemed to be the most heart felt and the one that tugged at his chest the most.

_And now, after having blathered on for two full pages, there's one last thing I have to say to you. Stop. Just stop. Stop seeking to destroy everything and everyone. Stop letting your rage and anger cloud your judgment. Stop blaming everything bad that's ever happened on others. Stop fighting with your family. And stop refusing to be happy. Just stop. You're better than that, Niklaus._

_I know the likelihood of you actually listening to me is slim at best, but I'd like to think at least something will make it through that thick skull of yours. I wish I'd be able to linger for a bit. I think being a ghost would be a nice change of pace, but if Purgatory was truly destroyed, there's only one other place something like me will go and I doubt they give out day passes._

_I only want you to be happy, and I Hope you find something or someone that will._

_I love you Klaus and I probably always will._

_Eternally, _

_Kalliope _

His heart wanted to stop and beat faster at the same time. His eyes shifted to the young woman lying at his side, asleep and unaware he was even there.

Elijah had been watching his brother read and noticed he was nearing the end. He stood and made Klaus a drink he assumed he might want. Movement caught Klaus's eye. He glanced up just as Elijah appeared beside him with an offered drink. He nodded his thanks and took it, letting the letter fall to his lap so he could take it but leave a hand on K.

"How long have you been here?" Klaus asked.

"Since last night." Elijah replied. He took a few steps back from the bed but didn't leave.

Klaus glanced out the windows and noticed the sun peeking over the neighboring buildings. His eyes eventually shifted once again to K.

"And she's improved?"

"Yes," Elijah answered. He noticed the edge to Klaus's words, but they were understood so he didn't remark on them. "The necrosis had traveled to her jaw line."

"Your blood?"

"Yes, but it will take a great deal more." He said. Klaus gradually lifted his gaze to his brother. "She drank pints before falling asleep and the color's only subsided by inches."

Klaus nodded and took a sip. His brother was telling him indirectly that it would likely take both of them to heal her. If it took pints for Elijah to heal her the miniscule amount she'd been healed, there was no telling how much more it would take to finish the job.

When silence began to move between them, Elijah took it as his sign the conversation had ended. He stepped away, ready to return to his seat when Klaus spoke again.

"Thank you," he said quickly before he could talk himself out of it. Elijah paused and turned just enough to see Klaus. The hybrid was still watching K sleep, but felt Elijah's stare and looked up. "Thank you, brother." he repeated.

A soft smile touched Elijah's lips. He nodded.

"Of course." He answered warmly. "She is family, after all."

As Klaus's eyes moved once again to K, Elijah was given the chance to regain his seat. He opened his book and was ready to begin reading it once more, but couldn't help but eye his brother. Klaus had begun stroking her head again as reassuringly as he could. It was an endearing sight –one of the few Elijah had been privy to through the years- so he was sure to commit it to memory.

With another light smile, Elijah went back to reading while Klaus continued to comfort the sleeping K.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys! I hope you like it so far. Thank you so much for the kind words and follows. It makes me want to keep the story going. So, that being said, ENJOY!  
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**Chapter 14**

An hour or better seemed to pass without notice. Elijah had finally grown tired and with Klaus there to watch over K, he was given the chance to not only sleep, but leave. He told his brother he'd be in a hotel and his phone would be on if Klaus needed anything. Klaus did little more than nod and listen while Elijah left. In truth, the eldest didn't want to remain behind. The scene between both Klaus and K was personal, intimate and not something to be spied on. He wanted to give them privacy. Besides, it made him miss Hayley more than he thought he would.

The sun began to rise high into the sky. It was nearing midday when Klaus finally felt K begin to shift and possibly rouse. Until then, she'd done little more than curl against his side, wrap her body around him and give him the chance to cradle her. They lay comfortably that way for hours. Klaus continued to stroke her hair and hold her while staring out into the room as his mind took account of everything that had happened in the passed week.

When he felt her begin to shift, his hand stopped moving and his eyes shifted to her. K took in a long, drawn out breath and her muscles flexed. She was waking and he felt it. Eventually, when she took another deep breath, K opened her eyes.

It took her a moment to focus on her surroundings. She recognized her room immediately and began to let her mind fill in what happened. She remembered the clinic, being sedated and Elijah appearing. She remembered him taking her home to feed her and then nothing. Considering she was lying in bed, K assumed she'd fallen asleep, but began to notice it wasn't a pillow beneath her head. Clenching the fist that held a shirt instead of a pillow, K was suddenly very aware there was a body beneath her.

Worried she might have been cuddling with Elijah, K slowly shifted enough she could look up. The blue eyes, blond hair and full lips of the man she was holding were in stark contrast to the one she'd thought would have been there. Her brows came together as she pushed herself up so she could sit and meet Klaus's eyes. He said nothing, but there was a smile on his lips.

Still confused, K looked around her apartment for any sign of the elder Mikaelson brother. Without him there, K began to wonder if she'd hallucinated what happened the night before or not. Hesitantly, she looked back to Klaus.

"Why are you here?" she asked. Her voice was heavy with sleep and sickness.

"You called me." He answered easily.

"Two days ago." She replied. K began to feel a bit of anger rise inside her. She couldn't help it. His sudden appearance didn't make her feel safe or happy. Instead it reminded her that he'd sent her away and that was the reason she was dying. And even when she called to ask for his help, he ignored her leaving her to die alone. "Where's Elijah?"

"Gone to get some rest."

She nodded mostly to herself. K's eyes continued to dart around to the room, focus on anything that wasn't Klaus. Eventually, she didn't even want to sit beside him in bed. As though trying to prove to him she was stronger than she felt, K scooted to the edge of the mattress.

"Well, thanks for coming, but I don't need your help." She replied before throwing her legs over the edge and attempting to stand. Immediately it felt as though the blood rushed from her head and her vision turned black.

Klaus was at her side before she hit the ground, looping his arms beneath her and lifting her into the air. He saw her eyes lose focus and knew she was still far too ill to move too much.

"You need your rest." He told her softly.

"Let go of me." K said, pushing at his chest and ignoring his statement entirely.

Klaus didn't release her until he was sure she wouldn't injure herself. He was hurt by her reaction to his helping her –especially after she clung to him in her sleep- but he didn't say anything about it. He wanted to avoid their inevitable fight for as long as possible. He remained silent as he set her down and she scooted further away from him, returning to her spot near the headboard.

"I'm sorry." He found himself saying. The words escaped entirely unprovoked and he didn't like it.

K had taken to holding her knees to her chest as she thought of a way out of her current situation when Klaus spoke. Her eyes gradually lifted to see him standing only a few feet away and looking as uncomfortable as she felt. Hesitantly he met her gaze.

"I never thought this would happen when I sent you away."

"I know." K muttered into her knees. She took a deep breath and sighed. K lowered her legs and simply crossed them. "I know you didn't."

She began to pick at her nails. It was a nervous habit and one she wished she could break, especially when it forced her to see the damage done by the poison. Growling to herself, K grabbed the cuffs of her shirt and pulled the fabric down over her hands, shielding them from sight.

"What happened?" he asked. The letter had only gone into some detail and Elijah gave him nothing. He had to know.

"Assassins. Mercenaries. Hunters." She said. Her voice had turned weak in the short span of time. "Whatever you want to call them. They ambushed me outside a hospital. Their bullets were laced with some kind of poison. I would've been fine, but I had too much of it in my system."

Klaus felt his gut twist. "Automatic weapons."

K scoffed, but nodded. Klaus's jaw tensed. Sometimes he hated modern weaponry. With the right kind of ammunition, it could be deadly even to them.

Slowly, he took a seat on the edge of the bed about a foot from her. They sat in silence. One thought of everything that had happened the passed few days, the death and her own mortality while the other dwelled on the fact he no longer wanted to be alone. In that they agreed. Neither wanted to be alone, but neither were brave enough to speak it out loud.

"What's happening in New Orleans?" K finally asked after minutes of silence passed.

Klaus took a heavy breath and sighed. He didn't bother lying to her. There was no need.

"The Guerra clan are taking back the Quarter." He replied thickly. "They're killing or threatening every vampire within its borders. The witches have joined them. The compound's been all but abandoned save a few day walkers who've chosen to remain behind and Genevieve decided to link the twelve stones to me."

"Link?" she asked. Klaus shook his head heavily. He still kept his gaze out on the room instead of looking at her which she was partially grateful for.

"In using my blood in the spell, she's ensured the stones draw my strength during the full moon."

K sighed to herself. She fought the urge to say _I told you so_ when it came to the dead redhead. She's warned Klaus that he wanted his wolf army too badly and others knew it, but he hadn't listened and now seemed to be suffering for it.

"Once a month, my strength is divided between twelve rings."

"Twel… but I took two of them off the wolves' bodies."

"Lost in the confusion." He replied under his breath. She could hear the agitation he still felt at the thought of having two stones in his grip and losing them.

"And everything else?"

Klaus slowly turned to look at her. He didn't have to answer and she hadn't really expected him to. His normally vibrant blue eyes were clouded. They weren't black like she'd seen them before whenever he was in a rage, but they were cloudy gray. They were the color of sadness and desperation. The loss of his daughter was so fresh it might as well have happened an hour prior. As sad as it was to think, it reminded K that Klaus was 'human'. The fact he cared about something other than himself was a sign he wasn't the complete monster he wanted others to believe him to be.

Klaus suddenly took another deep breath and sighed as he pushed himself up. He glanced around the apartment before turning to K and offering her his hand. She hesitated to move until she knew the purpose of it.

"How soon can you be packed?" he asked with his hand still extended.

"Excuse me?"

"You're coming home with us." He explained. Klaus lowered his hand when she didn't take it. He wasn't going to leave it there and look foolish.

K slowly raised a single brow. She wondered if he thought the way he was phrasing the command sounded friendly in his mind than when it came out.

"No," she replied finally. "I'm not."

Klaus's expression dropped slightly. That hadn't been the answer he was expecting.

"Yes," he answered in the same tone. "You are."

"No I'm not." She said strongly.

"You can't stay here."

"Why?" she shot back. They were on the verge of arguing.

"Because clearly you can't protect yourself."

Klaus knew he'd phrased his sentence wrong the moment it escaped his lips. He hadn't meant for it to sound so callous. What he'd meant to tell her was she clearly was in danger, but somehow it came out as an insult.

Horror and anger was written across her features.

"You need to leave." She said.

K even went so far as to point towards the door. When Klaus didn't move, she stood and began pushing at his chest, but her actions held nearly no strength and again she stood too quickly. She only managed to shove him twice before her skin turned sickly white and pasty. When she began to waver, Klaus again swooped in and held her to keep her from falling.

He took her to the bed again and gently laid her down so she could rest comfortably before sitting next to her. Klaus reached forward and touched her skin. She was clammy and sweating from nothing more than standing up.

"You're still too weak." He said softly given his proximity. Klaus's eyes instinctively fell to her throat. "You have to feed."

K nodded. She pressed her palm to her forehead to try and ebb the headache that throbbed between her temples. She didn't even have the strength to fight anymore or protest because she was too proud to feed from the hybrid. She only wanted to sickness to end.

Lacing his arms around her, Klaus lifted K up. She moved with him, but had to admit to herself she relied more on his guidance than she would have liked. He brought her to his chest and held her lightly. K didn't bother asking or waiting for permission before rearing back and sinking her teeth into his throat. Klaus bit back the reflexive groan that wanted to escape and simply cradled her to him. He let her feed without inhibition.

K fed from Klaus for awhile. Neither were sure how long had passed before she finally felt full and released him. Klaus was amazed he was lightheaded when she was finished. Never had he ever felt that way when feeding anyone his blood. Her appetite seemed to know no bounds.

K, on the other hand, felt nothing but better. Her stomach was full as though she'd drained an elephant and because of it she fell uselessly back onto the bed. Klaus eyed her. His blood stained her lips and a bit of her chin but didn't make it passed there. Of the pints she drank, it appeared K hadn't wasted a drop. He smiled to himself at the thought, but soon diverted his attention to the gray of her skin.

He reached forward and gently took the loose collar of the men's shirt she was still wearing and pulled it open. Despite having seen her in her entirety before, Klaus kept it decent and only examined the necrotic skin. He watched –amazed and relieved- as the gray visibly began to diminish. It sank further and further down her body until disappearing beneath the fabric. He wasn't going to pull it down any more than he had already because it would quickly turn indecent. He smiled to himself. While Elijah's blood had healed her inches, his seemed to have done nearly five times as much.

K slipped into another blood-induced coma. She didn't notice she was being examined or feel Klaus lift her arm to inspect it. The appendage was still gray, but the veins had vanished. Again, Klaus felt nothing but glad for it. The reaction should have been expected though.

Elijah was an Original Vampire. He was immune to nearly everything that plagued the rest of his race, including toxins. He could heal from anything, so naturally his blood was a type of cure. Klaus, on the other hand, was the Original Hybrid. He not only had the healing strength of the vampires, but the werewolves as well. He was over millennia old and truly immune to everything. Elijah was the glass of orange juice you drank while sick. Klaus was the shot of penicillin.

Klaus set her arm back at her side and stood. He reached for the edge of the comforter and pulled it over the sleeping young woman before stepping away. As he walked into the living room, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and selected a specific number. If his brother had gone to sleep, Klaus wasn't going to wake him. Instead he elected to text.

"_You're free to return to New Orleans."_ He wrote. "_I'll take care of Kalli."_

And sent the message. Klaus returned to phone to his pocket and thought about what he might do the few hours that were going to pass while K slept.

~!~

Pink, purple and blue saturated her bedroom by the time K roused from another blood-coma. Like before it took her a moment to remember she was in her room. She wasn't sure why she had trouble remembering she was at home, but K figured that it was perhaps because she was so used to things suddenly changing around her. Sometimes, she had indeed woken up somewhere else than where she'd gone to sleep.

Stepping out of bed, it took K a few steps before she realized she wasn't lightheaded. She felt better, not complete, but a great deal better than before and it was amazing. A smile began to tug at her lips when she noticed something interesting. Klaus was asleep on her couch. He was sitting in the corner with an elbow propped on the arm and his head resting in his hand. It looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Klaus,"

He woke quickly at nothing more than her saying his name. She hadn't even said it loudly. His eyes darted around before landing on the young woman standing a few feet from him. Klaus relaxed, yawned and stretched before standing.

"Feeling better?"

K nodded. "Is that why you're still here? To make sure I didn't die in my sleep?"

"Something like that." He replied with an edge to his words. He didn't like that she spoke so freely about dying. "Now then, you should change before we leave?"

K cocked a brow. "Excuse me?"

Klaus's eyes drifted and focused on something near the door. K followed his line of sight and noticed suitcases resting by her front door.

"You packed my bags?" she asked in shock.

"You're coming home with me, back to New Orleans."

"No, I'm not."

The same argument from before was about to begin again and both of them knew it, but did nothing to stop it.

"You don't belong here." He told her simply. "You need to come home."

"I can't leave, not yet."

Klaus hesitated to keep arguing. _Not yet_ was something she hadn't said before.

"I have a few things I need to do first." She continued. "A few things I need to figure out."

Klaus's eyes narrowed slightly. It wasn't annoyance, but confusion that caused him to pause.

"What do you mean you have things to figure out?" he asked hesitantly.

K didn't immediately offer an answer. Instead, her eyes fell to the floor and she thought of a way to try and phrase what was running through her mind. She wanted her revenge first, but that was a sentiment Klaus would gladly stand behind. He was –if anything- the King of Vengeance. But there was something else, something more that she had trouble putting into words.

"After I kill the four who tried to kill me, I need a break." She admitted.

"From what?" he asked before he could stop himself.

K's eyes traveled to his and he knew he wouldn't like the answer.

"From everything." She replied. Klaus's jaw tensed. "I'm a little lost, Klaus. Everything is just so…" she hesitated to find the right word. "Chaotic. It's all a little too chaotic right now."

"What are you telling me?"

Klaus didn't ask because he wasn't sure. He asked because he feared he knew, but was growing impatient while she danced around it. If there was one thing Klaus admired and expected in others, it was directness. He had no time for people sidestepping the point. If anything it annoyed him.

"I can't go back to New Orleans just yet. I thought I was stronger than I am." She said. "I nearly died."

"That has nothing to do with strength."

"I've grown complacent." She snapped.

K didn't mean to turn angry, but she had trouble avoiding it. She was angry with herself, mad that she no longer had the instincts she thought she did or the ruthless nature she once had. Most of the Bennetts let her be the monster she was because it was needed for the time. They needed her to be like that as the vampire population grew, wars raged and famine stretched across every country they called home. They needed her to be the killer, the hunter, but after Emily… When Emily died, it became nothing more than decades of K placating the Bennetts, trying to win back their approval because she was too weak to be alone. She had never been alone before and it scared her. She became weak, insecure and damn near human which were dangerous traits for a vampire. She didn't have a home anymore, a place or role in her own life. She was simply following everyone else's, caught up in the wake of those around her and she hated it. Being forced to confront her mortality made K realize just how far she'd slipped.

K sighed after she'd yelled at Klaus unprovoked. She ran her fingers through her hair, but stopped at the bun. It barely served a purpose anymore, so she didn't hesitate to yank the hair tie out and let her locks free. She briefly scratched the back of her head as she thought about what to say.

"I've become damn near human," she finally said when she met his gaze. "And I don't like it."

"There's nothing wrong with what you are." He muttered. He wasn't sure why he offered that as an answer, but he had. To him, it sounded like K was beginning to loathe who she was and he didn't like it. Her humanity kept his gruesome nature in check and he was wise enough to know it was necessary.

"What I am is a monster." She corrected. "And I've forgotten that."

Klaus didn't immediately speak. He simply stared at K and noticed determination begin to swell within her. He knew it was pointless to try and talk her out of whatever she had planned because she was too thick headed to listen. It was a trait he both loved and hated in her.

"Well then," he said after a lengthy silence. Klaus didn't bother telling her he wanted her to come home with him again. He didn't tell her he needed her to steady his ever shattering world or that her leaving again meant he was completely alone. He told her what she needed to hear. "I'll remain here until you're healed, then return home. You're welcome to return too, whenever you're finished _finding yourself._" He didn't spare the sarcasm. Klaus felt he was entitled to be at least a little offended by her choice.

K didn't remark on the tone. She didn't want a fight, not really, and decided instead to move passed it.

Against his better judgment, Klaus did as he said he would. He remained behind so K could feed one final time. That feeding was enough to give her immune system the boost it needed to fight off the rest of the disease. The pair marveled at the sheer amount of his blood she'd ingested. They each silently agreed his blood outweighed her own within her body.

By the following morning, Klaus was gone along with Elijah leaving K to do whatever it was she thought she needed to.


	15. Chapter 15

**This is really, really, really long. hahaha. But one step closer to New Orleans! Thank you everyone whose been reading this and sticking with it. Thank you so much for every comment and fave. I hope you enjoy! I got some fun in store. :)**

**Chapter 15**

The shooting echoed around the warehouse, bouncing off every available surface and forcing those with sensitive hearing to shield their ears or try to drown it out.

Scott straddled one of the gunmen, swiping at his armor repeatedly until he made it to skin. He nearly ripped through the man's chest before hearing the sound of a phone. Pulling himself out of the blackness he felt beginning to take hold, Scott searched the gunman's vest for the source. When he found the phone, he smiled at what he read. Turning it over, he showed the assassin that the contracts had been terminated.

The war was over.

Every supernatural creature hesitated to release the ones they held. The humans were more willing to leave. They figured the cost wasn't worth it, not when they weren't going to make the money they'd been promised. Tension moved between the two factions as each side tried to decide what to do. There seemed to be a silent agreement that began to show, the classic _you go your way, we'll go ours_ until they heard it.

A soft whistle began to echo through the halls that were once clouded with gunfire. It was a sweet song, dulcet and reminiscent of a lullaby. It was creepy.

The sound of heels clicking against the concrete floor soon accompanied the whistle and grew louder the closer they came. Everyone began to shift in their spots; turning if need be to face the oncoming sound. A silhouette materialized behind the bloodstained, plastic sheeting. The hand of the silhouette came up and gripped the plastic curtain. With a sharp yank it came free and crumbled to the ground, revealing the one standing behind it. K was whistling the eerie song. When she was revealed, she stopped whistling and simply smiled to the onlookers.

"Hello." She greeted in a voice as deceptively sweet as the rest of her.

"Kalli," Scott said. He couldn't hide his shock as he climbed off the man he'd been attacking. "You're…" his eyes danced along her features and a smile began to form. "You look great."

"Thanks." She laughed. "Blood transfusion."

No one in the room knew how literal her statement was.

"What are you doing here though?" Scott took a few steps forward. He was wondering why she appeared when the fighting had ended.

"Retribution." She replied simply. Her smile fell and her eyes shifted to the men dressed in black. A few had tried to scamper away, but froze when her cold eyes fell to them.

K stepped leisurely around Scott and towards the gunmen. She relied more on her nose than anything, but it took time to sift through the immense amount of blood in the air. No one moved. They could only watch the young woman who was on Death's door the day before as she paced calmly through those gathered. She said nothing, but they noticed her face twist into irritation when she came across two bodies in particular. They were two of the four she'd come to kill herself. That left only two more.

She recognized the scents of the remaining assassins and moved before the others could fathom the action. Grunting drew eyes. K was holding two men in black by the backs of their necks with a strong grip. She made sure she had the both of them before forcing them to meet her eyes.

"Stop struggling." She commanded easily. The complied in an instant and were released just as quickly. "Follow me."

As quickly as she'd appeared, K was more than willing to leave with her captives in tow, but she didn't get the chance. They made it only a few sparse feet before someone had no choice but to interject.

The sound of a gun clicking forced them to pause. Slowly, K shifted and saw an older man with short graying hair and a beard to match aiming a weapon solely at her with a sad expression marring his features. Her eyes narrowed as she walked forward, staring at Argent.

"Don't make me do this, Kalli." He told her sadly.

She continued to stare before her features suddenly dropped and surprise took over.

"Oh my god…" she mumbled. "Christopher."

A weak smile touched his lips for nothing more than a second before fading. His eyes moved over her and noted she hadn't changed a bit.

"Vampire?" he asked when he met her gaze again.

"Hunter?" she countered.

They were obvious questions, but ones they had no choice but to ask.

"I can't let you take them," he finally said, skipping over the answers they didn't have to give each other. "If you're going to torture them, not even after they shot up the place."

"My problem with these guys has nothing to do with this little scuffle." She told him simply. "This is personal. And what makes you think you have a choice in the matter?"

"You know why I can't let you take them." He said with an edge to his words. No one else spoke; they were too enthralled with the curious conversation to interrupt.

She scoffed and shifted her stance. It was obvious she was becoming irritated.

"They tried to kill me. Nearly succeeded actually." She was becoming angry. "They owe me a pound of flesh, and that's exactly what I plan to take from them."

Argent slowly shook his head. While his face was pained, his aim was strong.

"Not if you're going to torture them. I'm sorry, but I can't."

She cocked a brow at the Hunter who knew he had no chance of stopping her. She knew it too. Even if Argent shot her, she'd be fine. She was healthy again and she doubted he laced his bullets with anything but Wolf's Bane.

"Okay, have it your way." K said sarcastically. Grunts again filled the air. It took those gathered a moment to notice why. K's hands were imbedded deeply in the chest of each assassin. The blood saturated the air again and poured from their wounds. No one even saw her move. Suddenly, K snatched her hands back clamping their hearts firmly in her hands. They crumbled to the floor shortly after. Argent sighed and lowered his gun. "Better or worse?" she jabbed.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I did, actually." She replied coldly as she dropped their hearts onto their bodies. "You didn't see what those two and their friends did to me."

"It doesn't justify-"

"They shot up a hospital." She interrupted. Argent's face turned stern. He didn't know those were the ones responsible for the shooting. "They deserved worse."

Argent didn't say another word and she didn't really expect him to. Calming slightly, K glanced around and noticed nearly everyone staring at her. The only ones who weren't were the gunmen who were smart enough to flee while she was busy with their compatriots.

When K's eyes fell to the faces she knew, she was met with both uncaring and mild disgust. Honestly, she expected it from Scott. The kid was so pure it was damn near nauseating. Sweet boy, truly, but he never would have made it as a vampire. If he had to be bitten by anything, perhaps a wolf was the best course. Eventually, she tore her eyes from Scott's judging gaze and looked again to Argent.

"Good seeing you again Chris." She told him shortly.

Before he or any of the others had a chance to speak, she was gone.

~~!~~

Deaton was in the back of the clinic filling out some forms on his computer. His back was to the room so when he felt the air shift, it sent cold shivers down his spine. Deaton turned apprehensively in his seat to see someone he hadn't expected to ever see again standing near his examination table. K had her hands beneath the light. She was busy picking some of the dried blood out of her fingernails before noticing she'd been spotted. Glancing up, she smiled warmly to the vet.

"Hello again, Doc." She greeted.

"Kalli," Deaton muttered. He pushed himself to his feet the same moment K began her approach. His voice held the same astonishment Scott's had only a half hour prior. "You look wonderful."

"Thanks." She laughed lightly. "Diet and exercise." She teased.

"Your friend Elijah?"

Deaton felt the need to ask because he feared the alternative. Hearing the way Elijah casually mentioned his brother was just as likely to retrieve K as he'd been made Deaton pray it was the calm and level-headed Mikaelson who'd healed her.

"Not entirely." She said under her breath.

He didn't want to ask what she meant because he already knew. As knowledgeable as Deaton was about their world, K was wise enough to realize he understood her vague explanation.

"Anyway," K said when the air turned stale and thick. "I just wanted to say thanks, for everything. You helped me out when you didn't have to."

Deaton smiled warmly. "It was my pleasure."

She assumed at least part of the statement was a lie, but appreciated the effort. No one liked dealing with vampires.

"But you didn't have to so I appreciate it." She told him. "That's why I stopped by. I wanted to say goodbye before I head out.'

His smile faltered. "You're leaving town."

K nodded simply.

"Are you taking them with you?"

Her brows came together briefly. She found herself wondering what he meant before it donned on her. Her expression relaxed and a soft smile tugged at her lips as she realized what he'd meant. He was worried which she understood entirely.

"No worries." She said after a moment. K gradually met his gaze. "They're already gone. The Mikaelsons aren't going to move to Beacon Hills."

Deaton nodded, but the apprehension he felt lingered and he knew wouldn't likely change. K didn't expect it to.

With a few final parting words, K left Deaton to finish his work. She thanked him again for what he'd done for her and told him she'd make sure someone stopped by to fix the security door Elijah tore from its hinges.

Next came someone else who helped her when they didn't have to.

K was sitting on the front porch, swinging gently while she hummed to herself to pass the time. Her foot was propped against the railing giving her the perfect leverage to swing. It was nice. It made her briefly want a porch swing.

An hour passed before she saw headlights coming closer. They pulled into the driveway and a moment later K saw Melissa get out of the car. She stood and met the mom in stride so she wouldn't scare her by stepping out of the darkness.

"Melissa, hi."

No matter how much she wanted to keep from scaring the McCall matriarch, Melissa still jumped.

"Kalli? Hi." She greeted when she calmed. "You scared me."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't mean to." K said kindly.

"So, what are you doing here? You look good. Scott told me about the poison."

"Yeah," K chewed on her cheek slightly. "It wasn't good. Full zombie look going on." She teased with a light smile. "I just wanted to come and say goodbye. I'm kind of making the rounds."

"Are you heading out of town or something?" she asked. K noticed the slightly worried expression.

"Yeah." K nodded. She tried to keep her smile to herself. It was sweet that Melissa was worried about her, but unneeded too.

There was a finality in the way K agreed to Melissa's question that the nurse wasn't sure she liked.

"And you're not coming back." She finished.

K shrugged. She honestly didn't know, but the likelihood of it was slim to none.

"I just wanted to say thanks for the surgery, the blood." K said, avoiding Melissa's previous question entirely. "I really appreciate it."

Melissa smiled warmly and nodded.

"Take care of yourself." K said as she started off down the walkway and towards the street. "Oh, and I'll have someone deal with your upholstery."

Before Melissa could say anything about it, K was gone. Aside from saying her farewells, K was also making sure she repaired the damage she'd caused. She didn't want to leave with a deficit, especially when these were people who helped her.

~!~

It was late by the time K found Stiles and Scott. The two were practicing for some Lacrosse game they had coming up. She didn't really know what it was because she didn't attend high school, but they were practicing.

She sat in the bleachers unnoticed. When Stiles launched the ball into the net, K stood. She called out, whooped and hollered and clapped loudly like a fan during a game. It was a shock to both young men on the field which she found funnier than anything.

K continued clapping, but it died down as she stepped down the bleachers and to the ground. When she reached the edge of the field, she'd stopped all together. Both moved apprehensively towards her which she expected. Scott had seen her tear out the hearts of two men and judging by the look on Stiles's face, Scott had told his best friend about it.

"Hey guys." She greeted with a light care-free tone. "Late practice?"

"There's a game tomorrow." Scott told her as they met her in stride. "What are you doing here Kalli?"

"Came to say my fond farewells." She didn't bother hiding a bit of the sarcasm. She even went so far as to bow. "I'm leaving town for awhile, maybe indefinitely. I don't really know."

"Why?" Stiles asked. Even though he thought he knew the reason, he felt compelled to speak.

"I've got things to do. Besides, you guys can do with one less monster running around the city."

Neither of them said anything. If she came back to Beacon Hills, it wasn't going to be for a while, at least not until they didn't remember in vivid detail what she could do.

"Be safe boys." Were her parting words before she disappeared from sight.

"I uh… I think I'd rather stick to werewolves dude." Stiles muttered. "Vampires are kind of freaky."

"Yeah," Scott nodded slowly. "Yeah, something tells me they are."

~!~

K unlocked her door and stepped inside her apartment. Earlier that day before she made her rounds through Beacon Hills, K compelled a few movers to gather her things and ready it for storage. By the time she came home, most of the boxes had been put in her storage unit and only the furniture and her suitcases remained.

When she turned on the lights to inspect the progress made, K was surprised to find there was something new added to her house. Sitting on the sheet covered couch, was Argent.

"Chris," K sighed unenthusiastically as she set her keys on the bar. She could tell by the stern look on his face he was disappointed in the way she'd acted earlier. "To what do I owe the surprise breaking and entering?"

Argent didn't immediately speak. He continued to sit on her couch, indenting the white sheet that had been pulled over it and staring at her. After a few silent moments, his eyes drifted to the coffee table, yet another bit of furniture covered in a sheet. K followed his line of sight and noticed a perfectly sculpted wooden stake resting against the surface. She cocked a brow and returned her gaze to him the same moment he looked to her.

"Plan to kill me Christopher?" she asked without caring.

K wasn't worried about being silently threatened. She'd dealt with her fair share of hunters not only after her but the Bennetts as well. They were nothing in comparison.

He took a deep breath and sighed. Argent's eyes again moved to the stake while he continued to rest comfortably again the back of the couch. He knew if she really wanted to, K could grab the stake long before he could –even at his close distance- which was why the hand hidden from view held his gun loaded with a wooden bullet. He waited for her to move first.

"I don't know." He finally said after a lengthy silence. She could see he was conflicted and found that more interesting than anything. "At one point, yeah. After what I saw you do today, I would be here to kill you."

K pushed herself away from the bar she'd set her things on and been leaning against. The movement drew Argent's eyes. His grip tensed, but K wasn't stepping towards him. Instead, she walked to the wet bar against the wall not too far from Argent. She removed the crystal decanter from a hidden cabinet beneath the bar, flipped two glasses and proceeded to pour the drinks.

"And now?" she asked leisurely.

Argent didn't immediately offer an answer. He continued to watch K, curious as to what she might do. Still waiting for him to say anything, K grabbed the glasses, offered him one –which he took- and sat in the nearest sheet-covered chair near the couch. Taking a sip, K continued to wait patiently for him to speak.

"Now, I don't know." He replied. "After the passed couple of years, I don't look at everything as black and white as I used to."

"Isn't your motto very clear about things like this? Something along the lines of _we hunt those who hunt us?_" she asked knowingly.

He scoffed a small laugh. Chris took a sip of his drink and tried to ignore the burn it caused. He wasn't as accustomed to drinking as K, but could still appreciate a good scotch.

With glass in hand, he let his arm rest against that of the couch and weighed his answers.

"That was before my daughter fell in love with a werewolf."

"Daughter." K said the word as though she were more surprised by that then the werewolf aspect. Chris supposed –given what she was- that made more sense.

"Yeah," he nodded heavily and sadness took his features. "She died a few months ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

The sincerity of her words forced him to meet her eyes and see the emotion reflected back. He could tell she was truly saddened by the statement and he appreciated it.

"Yeah," the word barely left his lips. She could tell the ache was too new and it reminded her of Klaus and Hope. Although, the finality of their separation was greatly less than Argent's. Silence stretched for awhile before he decided to change the subject entirely. "So, does this mean Abby and Sheila are vampires too?"

K was in the middle of a sip and shook her head when he asked the question.

"No," she finally said. "Well… Abby is now, but not originally, no. Witches." Argent slowly cocked a brow. K simply stared at him as though he'd asked the time, but soon her stare shifted to the floor. "And Sheila's gone, passed away a few years ago."

"I'm sorry." And he was. He liked the elder Bennett when he met her. She was an interesting woman and now he wondered how true the statement might be.

K nodded and hesitated to finish her thought.

"And Abby's daughter Bonnie a few months ago."

This time Argent's brows pulled together. It wasn't that he was surprised Abby had a child, it was the amount of death that seemed to surround K. He felt the words begin to form and wanted to keep them at bay, but it didn't work.

"Did you kill them?"

K's gaze shot up. She looked at him in horror for suggesting such a thing.

"No." she snapped angrily. "Jesus, no. I was the one in charge of protecting that family."

Argent said nothing, but she could see the glint of _you didn't do a good job_ reflecting in his eyes. Anger flushed through her. K stood abruptly, forcing her armchair to slam into the ground from the force. Argent leapt to his feet, dropped the glass of alcohol and aimed his gun quickly at the angry vampire. Neither heard his glass shatter.

"I protected that family for over nine and a half centuries!" she yelled. "And I did it well. What happened wasn't my fault, so you don't get to judge me, _Argent_."

Tension filled the apartment. It was stifling. Neither moved or relaxed. Argent kept his weapon aimed and it didn't look as though K was aware of it. Then again, it was just as likely she didn't notice it through her rage.

"I wasn't judging you." He finally said through a tight jaw.

K's brows slowly began to relax and with it the rest of her tense expression. Eventually, her shoulders dropped and she took a step away from him. K turned her back and ran her fingers through her hair. Argent breathed easier too and dropped his gun.

"I'm sorry," she finally said as she turned. "It's just… I have a history with that family. It's a sore subject."

Argent nodded. K's eyes fell to the gun hanging in his hand.

"You plan to shoot me, Chris?"

He glanced to his weapon and found himself doing something he never would have even five years prior. He shook his head and placed it once again in the waistband of his jeans.

"No," he said.

"Then why are you here?"

Argent shrugged. He wasn't entirely sure. He knew he would use the excuse of her ripping out two men's hearts to break in, but he wasn't certain that was the real reason. In all honesty, Argent couldn't believe he saw her standing in his warehouse looking as though no time had passed. It had been almost thirty years since he'd seen her and nothing changed.

In the early eighties, before anyone really became who they would become, K traveled with Sheila and Abby to look for colleges. The newly graduated witch was excited about the prospect of attending school out of state, but Sheila wasn't going to let her go alone. Thankfully, while the elder Bennett came too, she let the two 'teenagers' scout campuses alone. Sheila knew both were quite capable of staying safe.

It was during one such trip they came to a party being attended by Christopher Argent. He was a nice enough young man, but nothing either paid too much attention to. He was simply another face that got lost in the sea of schools. It wasn't until Abby actually attended the school that Argent was seen more often. He was dating an awful, stern woman –who later became his wife- but that didn't stop the pair from seeing him frequently and becoming 'school friends'.

It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"I guess I came here to satisfy my own curiosity." Argent finally admitted. "After the warehouse, I asked Scott a few things. Apparently the shooters almost killed you."

"They've been the closest since I turned."

"And that you're in league with the Mikaelsons."

K cocked a brow. If Argent tried to remove the judging from his words, it didn't work. Seeing her uncaring, Argent took a step forward. He was worried she didn't realize how dangerous they might be.

"Kalli, they're the Originals. They're dangerous."

"They're my family." She told him, surprising both of them with her answer, but K could keep it hidden. Argent wasn't as successful. "I've known them since I was eleven years old and honestly; they're probably the only vampires I trust."

Argent still couldn't wipe the surprise from his face. After every horror story he'd ever heard about the Mikaelson clan, he thought he'd never hear a kind or even respectable word uttered about them by someone he knew. He was wrong.

"Is that where you're going? To meet up with them?"

K's head tilted a bit to the side at the odd segway into another subject. She wondered briefly just how confused her statement made him.

"No," she said with a light shake of the head. "I have my own plans right now."

Eventually Argent nodded. He looked around the room and noticed she planned to leave relatively soon, likely the following morning and he was right.

"Then I guess I'll leave you to it." He said.

Argent took steps forward and hesitated when he reached her. At one point, in the eighties, he would have hugged her like the friends they were, but now he wasn't so sure. Everything had changed even if K's appearance hadn't. She seemed to sense his apprehension and made the decision for him. K took the half-step forward and pushed herself up to give him a light kiss on the cheek. When she pulled back, she smiled warmly and gently patted his cheek.

"Take care of yourself Chris."

A weak smile twitched at the corner of his lips. He nodded and stepped around her ready to leave. He nearly made it to the door before K spotted the stake he left on her coffee table.

"Chris," she called. He hesitated and turned as K reached for the stake. "Don't forget your-" the moment her hand wrapped around the wood, she cried out and dropped it. K stared in shock at the burn on her palm as it healed. She looked up to the man approaching with concern on his face. "Did you soak that in vervain?"

"No." he shook his head and took the stake. He looked over it, just as surprised at her that it burned her skin.

"Then what the hell is it?"

"White Oak." He replied.

K's brows pulled together tightly. White Oak shouldn't burn her. It didn't burn any vampires except three.

Tentatively, K reached forward. Argent held the stake out and let her press her fingers to it. Like before it burned her skin. K snatched her hand back and held it to her chest as she took a step away.

"Take that thing with you." She said under her breath.

Argent nodded and stowed it in his waistband next to his gun. He knew –just as she did- White Oak didn't hurt the average vampire. He simply created the stake out of an antique table because Scott told him there were Originals in town. It was a safeguard, but seemed to hurt her too.

Eventually K met his confused gaze again, still clutching her hand to her chest.

"I'll see you later, Chris."

He nodded. Neither was sure what to make of the situation, so Argent decided to pick up where they left off. Without another word, he left the young woman alone in her apartment.

When he was gone, K again looked at her hand. The burns had obviously healed, but she could still feel the phantom pain. She'd touched White Oak before without consequence, but now… it made her wonder just how much Elijah and Klaus's blood affected her.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The leaves crunched beneath the heels of her steel-toed boots. The surrounding flora was dying and trying to replenish itself, but the season wouldn't truly let it. The air was crisp and cool and birds echoed in the distance. It was a peaceful place, but no matter how much time had passed, the scars were still visible to those who knew where to look.

Burns marred the sides of trees where fire once licked at the bark. Pieces of twisted metal were strewn across the ground and homes were flattened. The tents and trailers that once held living people were nothing more than empty, hollow reminders of what happened. And even though nature tried to take over once again, it barely succeeded in disguising the wreckage.

Her feet carried her away from the water-side cabin and deeper into the trees. There was a small graveyard, unmarked by conventional headstones, but still identifiable. Small wooden crosses were dotted through the forest. No trees had been cut down to make room for the ones buried which only added an old, eerie feel to the sad scene.

She wove through the crosses that consisted of nothing more than two sticks either tied or nailed together in the center. Some had dried flowers, others trinkets and mementoes. Those weren't the ones she was interested in. In fact, there was only one. The others meant little to nothing to her.

Beneath a beautifully draped Weeping Willow were three crosses. They weren't really side by side, but all surrounded the trunk of the great tree. The little cross on the far left was the marker she'd been looking for. When she reached the grave, she knelt down to fix it. The horizontal stick was beginning to droop because the rope she'd used to tie it on was loose. It was hard to tie when her hands had been shaking.

"There you go." She whispered when she tightened it securely. A weak, sad smile twitched at her lips. With the same tender hand, she rearranged the rocks that were at the base of the cross to help hold it up in high wind. "All better."

Tears began to gather in her eyes as she thought about the day that forced so many graves to be dug. They burned as bad as the memories.

As she knelt at the grave, repeatedly apologizing in her mind, she was unaware someone was walking up behind her. For a moment. As silent as the predator that crept closer was, she was stronger than them, better and she knew it. She could hear their feet fall even though it was nearly silent. She could smell them and knew they likely had the intention of harming her. But they wouldn't get the chance. When they were a few feet behind, she turned her head just enough she could see them out of her periphery.

"It's just me, Hayley." She said before turning her head back to the grave.

Hayley froze instantly. She'd been tense since smelling someone else in the bayou, but she never thought it'd be K. Then again, it was Adam's grave she was visiting.

When she walked up behind the stranger, she noticed everything but the familiar. The stranger kneeling over the grave wore nothing but black. Her skinny jeans were black, the ankle boots on her feet were black, the leather jacket was black, as was the shirt peeking out underneath. Everything was black, except her hair. The one thing that was always the deep color suddenly wasn't anymore. That's what had caused Hayley to hesitate and think a stranger had come into her one time home. Her hair was cut nearly a foot shorter than the waist length it had been before and red. It was red. The shade was deep, burgundy, blood red, not the same sickening orange Genevieve's had been. But it was still so vastly different.

K was still kneeling at the grave when Hayley reacted. She suddenly pulled K to her feet and wrapped her arms around the stunned vampire. The action took seconds –milliseconds- to perform before the two were hugging. Realizing what happened; K slowly wrapped her arms around the hybrid and hugged her in return.

"I'm so glad you're back." Hayley sighed as she squeezed K tighter than a human or wolf could handle.

K smiled sadly and nodded.

"Me too." She lied. Honestly, K wasn't sure if she was happy to be back in New Orleans or not, but she still didn't know what was wrong with her and home was the only place she could find out.

But as relieved as she was, Hayley was also angry. It seemed to be a common emotion now. Just as suddenly as the hug, Hayley pulled back and shoved at K's chest.

"The hell took you so long?!" she demanded.

K cocked a brow. She touched the spot on her chest where Hayley had pushed her and looked warning to the hybrid.

"I had some things to do." She replied. "Why?"

"It's been months since you called any of us. You couldn't tell anyone when you were heading home? Or that you were okay?"

"I figured one of the-"

"Elijah told me they healed you," she interrupted. "But that doesn't mean you couldn't send a text or something."

"Well I'm sorry." K said. She couldn't really fight the sarcasm. Hayley's mood swings were a little sharper than she would have thought. "But I'm back now."

"Yeah well, that doesn't really seem to matter anymore."

K cocked a brow. "Why's that? Last I heard things were a little contentious."

Hayley scoffed. She told K about everything since the vampire left, even Elijah's plan for mourning. She told her about the wolves taking over the Quarter and bullying out every vampire if not killing them. She told K about Klaus and Elijah locking themselves away inside the manor and about the witch Cassie who seemed more than willing to help the Guerra clan. It was a lot of information to take, but K listened and catalogued everything.

After a few minutes of reminiscing, Hayley left. She seemed incredibly agitated and unwilling to remain still for very long. K wondered if anyone was helping her transition. She'd thought Elijah would have, but there was bitterness in Hayley's eyes when she mentioned the eldest Mikaelson. K didn't press and soon made her way to the compound to see just how run down they'd let it become.

Apparently the vast amount she changed after Beacon Hills was reflected in New Orleans with everyone else. Then again, it was the way of the world. The only constant was everything changes and nothing stays the same. K just had to figure out to what degree everything changed.

~!~

K slunk through the town for the majority of the day. It looked so different and yet the same too. The vampires though, they were nonexistent. She could feel it. Wolves could feel other wolves, vampires could feel other vampires. And there were none. Well… almost none.

Her feet took her to an old record shop. She felt a vampire inside, but didn't want to say anything about it. If the wolves didn't know the vampire was there, she wasn't going to point him out.

As she continued down the street, avoiding the shop entirely, K was surprised to come across someone she knew. Davina, the little witch with the world on her shoulders. Davina seemed just as surprised to see K. They spoke politely to one another, but did little else. Neither really knew the other, so aside from being polite, there was nothing else to say.

K finally made it to the compound after the sun had set. She made sure to examine as much of the Quarter as she could. If she planned to remain, she wanted to have all the information she'd need.

The lock on the front gate was a joke, but K didn't bother snapping it. Instead, she took to the roof and leapt over. Her feet landed firmly on the slate in the courtyard. K hesitated as she stood upright. Everything was covered in white sheets. It didn't look dissimilar to her apartment in Beacon Hills, but somehow the manor felt colder with the sheets, haunting. It made the hairs on her neck prickle.

Shaking the feeling from her shoulders, K started off into the depths of the home. She heard nothing, not a person speaking nor footsteps down a distant hall. The manor seemed completely abandoned.

As though on auto-pilot, K's first stop was her bedroom. She wasn't sure why, but she felt compelled to see it. Perhaps it was a way to check her status with the family. If her room was still there she was still apart of their group. If not, well, perhaps it was good no one had seen her yet.

The door to her room was closed which she expected. What she hadn't expected was for it to be locked as well. K's brows came together curiously. She was willing to jerk the knob just hard enough to snap the lock, but soon spotted the old skeleton key hanging on a nail near the doorjamb. She was glad she didn't have to break anything and simply unlocked the door. It stuck slightly, but a bump from her shoulder dislodged the unused door easily.

Her room was eerily still. The air was thick and heavy, weighed down by the fight that raged in it the final day she was there and the staleness from being closed off. More sheets. Sheets covered her comforter, her pillows and her furniture. They were everywhere and it was no less haunting than the courtyard. K briefly wondered how many rooms had been shut off. It was like Klaus and Elijah were locking things away that reminded them of the outside world. It was a little sad.

Pushing the sheer curtains aside, K unlatched her French doors and swung them open with a sharp creak. A breeze immediately flooded the room and shifted the air. It filled her lungs and she welcomed it, but K's eyes lingered on the horizon. The full moon hovered low, barely peeking out above the buildings and she knew what was coming.

"So," a voice said from behind. K turned to find Elijah leaning against the threshold of her door. "It appears you've finally found your way home."

K smiled warmly, a sentiment he shared although his gaze didn't linger on her eyes. He found himself inspecting her new look as much as Hayley had. K either didn't notice or didn't care. Instead she approached him.

Elijah pushed himself away from the door and met her in stride. K openly wrapped her arms around Elijah and hugged him, a sentiment he returned without hesitation. The two hugged each other like old friends because in a few ways they were. Elijah felt more endeared to K after Beacon Hills and the same could be said for her.

"It is good to finally have you back." He sighed as they parted.

"It's good to be back." She replied. "So," K stepped out of his grip and turned back to her room. "What's with the sheets and locked door?"

"Niklaus," he said heavily. "Was sure to keep the door locked when there were still day-walkers on the premises. The sheets didn't come until he was certain you weren't returning."

K nodded softly. She felt bad for taking so long to come back to New Orleans, but nothing felt right after Klaus healed her. She had her own problems and didn't want to think about what might be happening without her. When the high of being healthy faded, K knew something was different. It took her nearly four months to try and figure out what it was and she still didn't know. She figured coming home might be her final option.

"Well," she sighed. A smile tugged at her lips. "I think it's time to retire the sheets."

Elijah chuckled to himself, but nodded. K reached for the nearest one and gave it a sharp yank.

"I suppose this means you're here to stay."

K didn't reply, but smiled again. With a parting nod, Elijah left her to the room. Later, K would go grab her things from the trunk of her car, but until then she was fine cleaning her room. She didn't even bother searching for Klaus. If Elijah was keen enough to sense her, she knew Klaus would be too.

~!~

"We have the Guerras where we want them." Klaus declared as he and Elijah stepped into the main dining hall off the courtyard. "We have them waiting, we have them worried and now we know they're an army without defenses against an Original."

"You don't know that for certain." Elijah sighed as Klaus took the head of the table and he lingered near the other end.

"I'm willing to gamble." Klaus refused to sound anything but sure.

"It's too risky." Elijah continued to try and instill the proper amount of fear in his younger brother. "The stake didn't just simply disappear. Someone has it."

"One enemy at a time. In the end," Klaus let himself fall into his seat. "We'll slay them all."

The moment he sat, Klaus felt the searing pain of the moon rip through his body. The only thing he could compare it to was the sensation of having a red hot poker slowly slid into his temple. It was the purest form of pain and he didn't have the satisfaction of healing from it either. The pain would be ongoing until dawn. Elijah recognized the same pained look in his brother's eyes he'd seen months prior and knew it would only get worse.

"Tonight," Klaus said heavily when the pain dulled. "We simply have to plant the right seeds, and for that we need help."

Elijah's brows came together curiously. He planted a hand lazily on the back of a chair while the other slipped into his pocket.

"So you've seen her since she's come home?" he asked. He assumed the help Klaus spoke of was sitting upstairs in her room.

"Assuming Hayley can linger in one place long enough, then yes, we'll need her help as well." Klaus replied.

Elijah gently shook his head which Klaus thought odd.

"I wasn't speaking of Hayley."

It was Klaus's turn to be confused. He didn't understand his brother's words because K being home wasn't his first thought. But, slowly, it did enter his mind. Klaus's face went blank. He did his best to keep all emotion from his features.

"Kalli's back."

"She arrived earlier this evening while you were out." Elijah said. "She's in her room now."

To Elijah's surprise, Klaus remained seated. He expected his brother to at least stand, but there was nothing. Instead, Klaus's eyes drifted. His focus fell to the floor and that's where it stayed. His mind swarmed. While part of him wanted to go upstairs to see her, another didn't. He didn't want to so easily race to her side like he had in Beacon Hills when she so easily rebuffed his invitation home. So he'd wait.

~~~!~~~


	17. Chapter 17

**You guys rock. Enjoy and let me know what you think!**

**Chapter 17**

The three main residents sat along the large table while Elijah replayed the plan he'd devised. Klaus kept his eyes peeled, but K still hadn't shown herself. At the moment, she was actually busy and hadn't arrived back at the manor, but when the moon rose high, she made her way back.

"They'll come for me when I'm weak." Klaus said bitterly. "Every ring you retrieve will strengthen me, but I'll still be at a disadvantage."

"That's why we can no longer afford to remain separate. The two of you can no longer retreat to your corners and now have no choice but to come together."

Klaus grumbled and Hayley didn't seem anymore happy about the prospect. While they didn't hate each other, what they felt was only a shade better. The other reminded them of the one thing they wanted more than anything, but had stolen away. Hope.

"You're right, brother." Klaus finally replied. With a heavy sigh, he shoved himself up from his seat and turned to face her. "This is out fight. Are you ready for battle, Hayley?"

"Just promise me Francesca Guerra won't make it out of this alive."

A smirk formed. "Her head will be delivered to you on a silver platter, little wolf."

While Hayley seemed as enthusiastic about the prospect as she could be, Elijah could see her eyes darken and it worried him. She seemed to be slipping further and further away from everything, from her humanity.

"Well," Klaus sighed. He looked to his brother. "That covers the three of us, but where's the fourth?"

The comment was meant to be sarcastic because Klaus was well aware K was no longer on the property. He didn't realize she'd already returned.

"Right here." She said as she stepped around the corner and into the room. Klaus's grin faded, but K's never wavered as she looked at the hybrid. She was relieved to see him. "Hello Nik."

Klaus kept emotion from his features like he was known to do and simply nodded to her. It wasn't the reaction K expected, but she was attune enough to sense otherwise. That was part of the problem and why she had to return to New Orleans before she was ready for it.

Elijah motioned for K to take a seat so they could go over the bulk of the plan. As he divided tasks up between those gathered, something interesting went unnoticed to him.

Klaus had grown used to the pain of the rings, but while used to it, he still felt it. He was simply better at keeping himself from reacting to the true extent of the pain. As it was, he would simply tense; grind his teeth and then exhale a relieved breath when the worst of it was over.

During Elijah's speech, Klaus did his best to pay attention, but his focus wavered. His part was simple, after all. Klaus only had to remain at the compound as bait, there was nothing else to discuss for him, and so his attention wavered.

Even though he wished they hadn't, Klaus's eyes shifted to K one more than one occasion. She was too busy speaking and listening to Elijah to notice. It was while he was stealing glances of her that Klaus noticed it. Something was wrong with her. At random times, K's fists would clench, her knuckles turned white, and every muscle in her body went rigid for a few seconds as though someone electrified her chair. The first time he spotted it, Klaus wondered if it was a fluke. It kept his attention. Eventually he noticed it was a constant thing happening every few minutes, and then he noticed something even more interesting. He narrowed his eyes, but remained silent for the moment.

When the text came from Joe that he was on his way to the Guerra home came, they knew they had a few minutes before the fight raged.

Elijah left to deal with Cami, Hayley lingered in the shadows and K aided Klaus to his room. He had to admit he shamelessly made her think he was weaker than he was, but he had a few things to discuss with her once they were finally alone.

K helped Klaus to a chair near the tattered remnants of his canvases. She eyed it skeptically, but wisely didn't say anything about it. She didn't pretend to know what he was going through over the passed few months so she didn't feel she had the right to judge.

As she turned to leave, K was a bit disappointed Klaus hadn't said anything to her since she arrived. He hadn't even said hello. She wondered if it was anger or resentment that kept his tongue tied. Whatever the reason, K was ready to leave his room without a word.

"Something's different about you." Klaus said the moment K's foot was pass the threshold. She hesitated. Klaus shifted in his seat enough to see her frozen in his doorway. "And I don't mean the wardrobe, or hair."

K spun leisurely on her heel and stepped back into the room. For the first time in an hour, Klaus met her gaze.

"What do you mean?" she asked, feigning innocence.

Klaus cocked an irritated brow, but as weak as he was he didn't immediately berate her for the lie. Instead, he simply waited the few seconds he'd need to confirm his suspicions. Sure enough, when he felt the white, searing pain of the moonlight rings draining his power, he noticed K stifle a flinch. When it subsided, he looked at K with a heavy gaze.

"You can feel it, can't you?"

"Feel what?"

Klaus openly sighed and rolled his eyes. He wasn't in the mood to try and pry the answer out of K, nor did he have the energy. Instead, he rolled his head forward again and returned to staring at nothing in particular. K, on the other hand, stared at him. She wanted to say something, but even being confronted with the evidence she found it hard to believe.

"Yes," she finally answered without knowing why. Klaus shifted once more to see her standing apprehensively nearby. "I can feel it."

He eyed her skeptically. It wasn't that Klaus didn't believe her, it was the situation itself that was unbelievable.

"Where?"

K pointed to her temple just as another wave hit them both. She didn't bother trying to hide it now that they were alone. While he suffered, he forced himself to keep his eyes open and mind as clear as possible to see how she reacted. When the pain came, her knees buckled enough her stance wavered, her eyes slammed shut and she stifled a cry as she held the side of her head. It lasted seconds before it faded and K opened heavy lids. Klaus felt the pain constantly, but K only the peaks.

"How is that possible?" Klaus breathed when the pain ended.

"I don't know." She answered in the same tired voice. "But I can't wait for it to end."

Footsteps on the roof put an end to their conversation. Within seconds K was gone to linger in the shadows like she was meant to. The fight was about to begin.

~!~

K stood in her bathroom, washing the blood from beneath her fingernails and relishing in the wonderful feelings moving through her. Relief. She felt relief.

Suddenly screaming and the sound of fighting within her home brought K out of her thoughts. Hayley was yelling at Elijah, telling him she was a monster. The fight, while incredibly personal, held another undertone. Hayley was lost and K could hear it.

She turned off the water and dashed out of her room to catch Hayley before the little hybrid fled the compound. When she finally spotted her, Hayley was nearing the courtyard. K didn't hesitate to launch herself over the edge and land on the slate just as Hayley's foot reached the bottom step. She seemed shocked to see the vampire. K could see what was wrong immediately.

"Come with me," K said with an offered hand.

Hayley didn't take K's hand. Instead she eyed it skeptically and K understood. After everything that happened to Hayley, friend or not, she likely had trouble trusting anyone.

Without waiting for her approval, K snatched Hayley's hand and led her away from the compound. Soon, they traveled faster than a human could register. Hayley didn't know where K was leading her and the longer they ran, the more annoyed she became until finally planting her heels into the ground and stopping them abruptly.

"Where are you taking me?" she snapped.

"Away from prying ears." K answered simply. She didn't have a set location to take the little hybrid. She only wanted to get her away from those who'd spy on their conversation. "Now we can talk."

"Talk about what?" Hayley couldn't remove the tone from her words and K didn't expect her to.

"You need to calm down." K said, pointing a stern finger at her. "You're losing control."

"You don't know anything about me!" Hayley suddenly yelled. Her rage, guilt and self-loathing was swarming within her, fighting for the upper hand and instead giving her anger more fuel. "You helped give my daughter away and then ran like the fucking coward you are! Jesus, no wonder nobody wants you around." And then she said something K couldn't dismiss. "Elijah should've finished the job the first time he killed you." She hissed.

K reacted swiftly and in a way she felt she was justified. She reared back and landed a sharp blow to Hayley's cheek. The hybrid stumbled back and to a knee from the intense backhand. The hit was so sudden; Hayley took to her knee before she felt the fiery burn the slap left behind. When she realized what happened, Hayley looked up through her lashes with black and yellow eyes.

"I'll kill you!"

Hayley lunged for K, blinded by rage to the point she didn't realize what she was doing. It was the only reason K didn't immediately kill her. Instead, she snatched Hayley by the neck when she was within arm's reach. Holding firmly, K threw Hayley back from her.

"You need to get control of yourself." K said evenly as though she wasn't bothered by Hayley in the least. In truth she wasn't. She didn't think Hayley would really hurt her.

Again Hayley raced for the vampire and again K put her hand up to stop her, but not before Hayley spun. Her teeth sank deeply into K's hand. K cried out and when she hit Hayley, it wasn't a slap. Her fist crushed the hybrid's cheekbone and sent her violently to the ground. Hayley groaned at the pain involved as she pushed herself up, but the hit cleared her mind. Fearing what she might have done, Hayley looked up and noticed K staring angrily down at her, her hand dripping with blood from the hybrid bite.

"Oh my god." She muttered. Hayley pushed herself to her feet. She took tentative steps forward. "I didn't mean to bite you. I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it." K replied. Both knew K wasn't going to die from the bite with Klaus at home, but it didn't stop Hayley from feeling guilty about what she'd done. "This is why I wanted to talk to you out here. You're out of control."

Hayley's brows came together and her eyes glistened.

"I don't know what's wrong with me." She admitted sadly. "I know I'm supposed to be angry, and I am, but this is something else. This is rage, and hatred and it scares the hell out of me. What's happening?"

K stepped forward. She smiled was warmly as she could and reached up with the hand Hayley hadn't bitten to wipe away the hybrid's tears. She recognized the same fear she felt after turning reflecting back at her through Hayley's eyes.

"I take it Klaus and Elijah didn't explain this to you, did they?" she asked. Hayley shook her head and tried to keep her jaw from quivering. "Come on."

K offered her arm to Hayley and this time the hybrid took it. She looped her arm around K's and together they began to walk through the downtown area of New Orleans, away from the Quarter and whoever might see them.

"You've heard about what happens when a human turns, right?" she asked. Hayley nodded. "It heightens everything, including emotions. Whatever your main personality trait is, it's amplified. Elijah believed in honesty and fair play, so now that's his main personality trait. Klaus spent the majority of his life in fear of being hunted and persecuted so those are the defining characteristics in how he deals with everything. But the short temper, rage, that came from being a wolf."

"So you're telling me the worst parts of being a hybrid come from being a wolf?" Hayley asked angrily.

K gave her a warning stare. Hayley bit her tongue and didn't immediately speak again.

"What makes a hybrid so volatile is the wolf, whether you like it or not." K said. "Wolves are animals, primal, aggressive when threatened," she heard Hayley growl within her throat. K stopped and squared herself on the hybrid. "You're hunters and all of that is stronger now that you're a vampire too. You have no control, Hayley. You're letting your emotions run rampant which is going to get you killed."

"I'm a hybrid." She said through her teeth. "I'm invincible, right?"

"Wrong." K replied flatly. "You have any idea how many of your kind I've killed? Hybrid or not, you can still die and if you keep running around half-cocked like you are, you won't live long enough to see your daughter again." Hayley's jaw tensed and her eyes began to water again. K took another step forward and began to loom over the hybrid. "Just look at what you've done the last twenty minutes. You bit me. You tried to kill me."

"I didn't mean to." She snapped weakly, trying to defend what she'd done.

"And that's my point. You reacted without thinking. You're better than that Hayley." K took a step back and let distance move between them again. "You need to learn focus, that's all."

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" her voice shook. "I've lost everything. I've lost my daughter, my pack; Elijah looks at me like I'm some kind of monster because that's what I turned into." Hayley's breath hitched and the tears came again. "I don't want this anymore."

K moved closer and hugged Hayley tightly. The waves of emotions seemed never ending. Looking back, K knew she must have looked the same to Theana when she'd been found.

"In the grand scheme of things," K said softly. "Today means nothing. It's simply a stepping stone to get to tomorrow. It'll fade, just like everything else.'

She felt Hayley nod, but wondered how much of what she said actually made it through the hybrid's clouded mind.

"And if you need help keeping your rage under control, just call me." She said. Again Hayley nodded. "Come on," they parted. "Let's get back."

Together they raced towards the compound. They broke through the front door within a few short seconds and slowed substantially. The pair was heading towards their respective rooms. Hayley was about to open her mouth, tell K she should have Klaus healed her, but looked down at the vampire's hand first. She wanted to see the damage she'd done, there was only one problem. There was nothing there. Hayley knew she'd bitten K's left hand. She felt her teeth slice through flesh, tasted blood and saw the gashes heal. There was no doubt, but other than some smeared blood on K's hand, there was nothing. No necrotic flesh, no wound, nothing.

Hayley didn't say anything and eventually broke off from K to head to her own room.

Closing the door behind her, K went to her bathroom again and washed off her own blood. It took seconds, but the appendage held her gaze for much longer. She gently rubbed the side of it with her right hand. It didn't burn like the average wolf bite would. It didn't feel like anything.

Her brows began to come together again. The fact Hayley's bite hadn't begun to rot nearly a half an hour later made K uncomfortable, not happy. It was simply more proof that something was wrong with her.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Klaus spoke to Hayley, reassured her as best he could and tried to make her feel better about the awful things that followed them all. He gave her similar examples as K, but it didn't bother her. Instead, it helped her believe that perhaps they were right, that everything will change and the pain will lessen.

As Klaus stood, ready to give her a few moments to herself, Hayley thought of something she knew she should tell him. He made it nearly to the door before she blurted.

"Klaus," she said quickly. He paused and turned, waiting patiently for her to finish her statement. "There's something wrong with K."

His brows came together. While he knew there was something off about her, the incident was between them. Whatever Hayley thought she knew was new, therefore it was something he wanted to hear.

"What do you mean?"

"Last night, I bit her."

Hayley saw the rage flash in Klaus's eyes. His jaw flexed when he ground his teeth and his eyes darkened. She waited for him to yell at her for the slip, to be angry she'd bitten K, but it never happened. Hayley had hoped he'd either confirm her suspicion or not before losing his temper.

And he was ready to spout his anger, to berate Hayley for biting an ally, a friend, but he didn't. Before the words could even form in his throat, he realized K never came to him for his blood. His brows came together when he met Hayley's gaze again and in that she knew. She knew what she saw was real. The reaction wasn't delayed because she was a hybrid or K was old. It never happened at all.

With a curt nod to show his thanks for the information, Klaus once again turned to leave. He didn't hesitate to bound up the stairs and to K's room. He had more proof that something was different.

When he reached her door he noticed it was cracked. Klaus pressed his hand against it and let the door glide open to reveal K unpacking her things. She'd brought her car to the compound the night before, just before they fought the wolves, and with it her things. At hearing the door open, she looked up in the middle of folding a pair of jeans. She smiled her acknowledgement softly and went back to her task. He eyed her for a moment, examining everything from the lounging clothing to her newly dyed, blood red hair tied back in a high ponytail

"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked politely.

Klaus didn't immediately speak. He found himself deep in thought and in his hesitation K looked up and noticed him staring. Her actions slowed.

"What?" she asked apprehensively.

"You felt the stones, didn't you?" he said. Klaus took one calculated step closer followed by another. K chewed briefly on her cheek and nodded. "And Hayley bit you." She clenched her fist on reflex which drew his eye. Like he thought, there was no wound. His eyes shot to hers again. "But you're not injured." K shook her head and he continued to approach. "How?"

"I don't know." She muttered weakly. "I… I don't know."

"But you suspect something."

K nodded and Klaus stopped his advance a couple of feet from her. He was still within arm's reach however. He had to be that close. He was too curious not to be.

"You and Elijah." She said. She took a deep breath, sighed and dropped her gaze. "More so you." She turned to sit on her bed. "I noticed something was wrong when a friend came over after you and Elijah left. He was worried about me, I guess, and heard there were Originals in town. He uh… he had a White Oak stake." K daringly looked up and noticed Klaus's eyes darken from blue to gray. "It burned my skin."

Confusion immediately took over and any anger he felt towards her having a male friend who possessed a White Oak stake was gone. When he and his siblings first turned, the White Oak burned their skin too. It was a reaction that changed through the millennia, but he remembered it vividly still.

"And," she mumbled. Klaus's brow began to rise. He couldn't wait to hear what else she had to offer. "I nearly ran my car off the road the first full moon after you left. At first I figured it was the toxin coming back. You guys only left a week before, so I thought I relapsed, but…" K shook her head. "It happened the next full moon, then the next and last night too." She said. Klaus had taken a seat beside her on the bed. His mind worked feverishly to not only absorb, but rationalize the information he was being given.

"And the wolf bite didn't become infected." He added.

"No,"

Klaus began to replay the events after the shooting. He could still clearly see K dying, but had to push passed it. Elijah said he'd fed the young woman a few pints of his blood. If the first feeding Klaus had with her was any indication of her appetite, she likely drank around four pints of blood from the eldest Mikaelson. Four from him and the four from Klaus meant eight at first. In that way the brothers were tied. Then came the third and final feeding. Klaus hadn't planned to leave until he knew K was healed, so she offered something he found worrisome but knew would likely work. Blood-letting.

Blood-letting was the process of cutting a vein and draining the 'toxic' blood from someone's body. It was a medieval technique that hurt more than it helped back when illness and sickness could just as likely be a curse as anything else. The only difference was blood-letting could actually help K. It was her blood that was infected. It was her blood that carried the virus and it was her blood that needed to go.

Together, the pair went into K's bathroom. She had a large, open shower that could easily accommodate two and allow her to bleed without further damaging her floors. After a few teasing remarks from Klaus about what else the pair could do in the shower, the blood-letting began. She took a butcher knife to her arm, would slice a gash the entire length, let it bleed-heal-then fed. It went that way for well over an hour until her immune system was restored and both were sure she had more of Klaus's blood in her system than her own. It was a joke at the time, but they were suddenly wondering how true it really was.

"Have you ever heard of anything like this happening before?" K asked after a sufficient silence.

Klaus shook his head before answering, "No. Not in vampires at least and not like this."

"The hell does that mean?" she asked. K turned on the bed, bringing her leg up in the process so she could comfortably look at Klaus while he explained the strange comment.

"Something similar happens to humans who have a bone marrow transplant. Bone marrow is responsible for producing blood cells, so if there's a substantial enough transplant, sometimes the human's body begins producing the donor's genetic code."

K cocked a brow to the man at her side. Klaus noticed the odd expression.

"What?"

"Been studying human anatomy while I was gone?" she openly teased.

Klaus chuckled. "One must keep their mind keen." He joked in response, but his smile soon faded. "The psychic link however, that's something I've never heard of, and potentially dangerous."

K nodded heavily. The thought had crossed her mind as well when she realized what was wrong with her. She remembered what Hayley went through with the witch that linked them together. It was too dangerous for the one relying on a host. K shuddered when she remembered everything else she'd felt since leaving Beacon Hills before coming back to the compound.

"It'll fade."

Klaus's sudden words forced her to jump slightly and drew her eyes. He smiled as warmly as he could to try and console her. K returned the halfhearted sentiment, but both of them seemed to know it was a lie.

When no one said anything further, Klaus stood. He was ready to leave, to consult with his brother about K or find what he could in any book they had to try and figure out what was wrong with her. He didn't like the fact they were linked. He meant it when he said it was dangerous.

K watched him head towards the door and felt a pit in her gut. Her brows came together and she said something before she could talk herself out of it or he was gone.

"Are you even glad I came back?" she asked softly.

Klaus hesitated at the door. He'd nearly made it out of her room before she spoke. The words hit him harder than he thought they would.

Slowly he turned to see her still sitting on her bed, but this time picking at her fingernails so she could avoid his eyes. He recognized the evasive behavior. He'd seen her and a thousand other women do the same thing when they said something that made them feel vulnerable. Hell, he'd done the same when admitting something to anyone.

A moment passed and then another and still he didn't speak. K looked up tentatively through her lashes to see if he was still there and to gauge his reaction. He was blank, a sentiment she expected more often than not.

"You've seemed irritated ever since I got here." She said.

Klaus had taken a few steps into the room once again and towards the bed, but they were slow. He wasn't sure he was willing to get into everything that bothered him, but the self-doubt he saw marring K's features made him realize that perhaps he was being colder than he meant to be.

"Things have become a great deal more complicated since you left." He said. "Perhaps you should have come back sooner."

He didn't know why that particular phrase was what he chose to say; only that it was uttered before he could pull it back. While the words themselves weren't rude, the tone at which he said them could be construed as little else.

Her brows came together and he could see he'd hurt her feelings. He didn't mean to, but Klaus stood by his statement.

Unwilling to remain when a fight was likely immanent, Klaus offered them both a way to end it.

"I'll leave you to your unpacking." He said. When he turned to leave again, K didn't stop him.

Left on her own, K's gaze danced about the room. In a few short minutes, she and Klaus had gone from rekindling whatever it was they had when she left to him making her wonder if she should have made the trip at all. Something was changing and she wasn't sure what it meant.

~!~

K found her way through the manor and to the only person she hoped might shed some light on what the hell was truly happening around her. Klaus and Hayley had run off to do God-knows-what leaving the only two vampires who resided on the premises alone.

When she reached Elijah's door it was closed. K knocked and waited for him to answer or say she could enter. Through the wooden block, she heard feet drawing near and waited. Elijah opened the door. He was confused and a bit surprised to see K on the other side of the threshold at such a late hour.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, noting the apprehension on her face.

"I'm not sure." She told him honestly.

Elijah weighed her words before he found himself nodding. Stepping aside, Elijah opened his door and silently told K to enter. She did without much hesitation. K stepped into the middle of his beautifully decorated bedroom and turned to face him when she had. She quickly noticed him wearing a pair of pajama pants and a white wife-beater.

"Were you sleeping?" she asked, worried she'd woken him up. With a glance to the clock, K realized it was nearly two in the morning.

"No," he said with a slight shake of the head. He closed the door but didn't let it latch shut before returning to his bed and standing beside it. He pointed to a book lying on the comforter flipped onto its pages. "Simply reading." His brows hadn't relaxed. Since he opened the door, he could tell something was wrong. "You're distressed. What's the matter?"

"Something's different." She said after a moment.

Elijah nodded. "Yes. Niklaus told me about your predicament."

"No," K interrupted. She shook her head. "I don't mean just with me."

It took Elijah a second to realize she was referencing everything else. He hadn't thought about how strange everything must seem now that she'd returned. Four months was a long time and she was right, everything was different.

"It'll pass." He found himself saying. Elijah took measured steps towards the young woman who hadn't relaxed since she'd stepped through his door. "You've been around long enough to know everything evens back out after a time."

K found herself shaking her head.

"I'm not so sure this time." She said honestly. "Klaus…" when she didn't immediately continue, Elijah was given a deeper look into what bothered her so much. He should have known it had something to do with his little brother. She eventually met his concerned gaze. "He's cold, Elijah, distant."

He forced a weak half-smile.

"Niklaus has always been unpredictable in the ways of his affections." He said. "He simply has more on his plate than normal. I'm sure there's nothing wrong."

"He's never been like this, not with me." She said before realizing how it sounded. "I don't mean that I'm more special-"

Elijah held up his hand and shook his head, silently telling her she didn't have to continue. He didn't take her statement as anything more than a recount of what she felt. The words could have easily been considered arrogant or even cocky, but he didn't see them that way. He was well aware of the history between K and Klaus so he knew what she meant and it worried him a bit too.

"How do you mean?"

K shrugged a single shoulder. It was difficult for her to describe what she meant.

"It's just a feeling." She told him weakly. "Earlier today, he looked at me like I was more of a burden than anything else."

While Elijah felt fear at her statement, he didn't let on. Instead he offered her another warm, dismissing smile.

"As I said, there's just a bit more on his plate than usual."

K wanted to believe Elijah and in the end perhaps that was why she nodded. Without anything else to discuss, and wanting nothing more than to think Elijah was right, K said her goodnight to him and left.

The moment he closed his door, Elijah's false smile faded. He was scared of K's worries, scared his brother might again be slipping and again turn to hatred, malice and torture in some attempt to find his sanity. Elijah was bordering on terrified. He didn't want Klaus to revert back to who he was, not when he'd come so far.

~!~

Elijah and Klaus were fighting, yet again, about something the younger brother had done. Elijah couldn't believe how careless Klaus was being with Hayley. They'd spent the whole night killing and feeding. While he expected the behavior from Klaus, Elijah was mortified to see him dragging Hayley into it as well.

"Now more than ever, she needs some connection to her humanity, some degree of dignity." Elijah said angrily.

Klaus tensed his jaw and eyed his brother warningly. If Elijah noticed he wasn't bothered by it. He had more to add to his tangent, more he wished to say to Klaus.

"And you will fix whatever it is that you've done to make Kalli regret coming back."

His words caught Klaus completely by surprise. The hybrid's face twisted into shock and confusion, emotions Elijah expected in some small part to see from him.

"Or perhaps you were too busy to even notice." Elijah offered tersely. "She has been home for less than a week and is already considering leaving."

"How much more would you like for me to do, brother, hm?" Klaus asked sarcastically with a hint of growing anger. "How many more people must I placate?"

"Hayley is the mother of your child." Elijah said coldly. "And still transitioning, coming to terms with what she is and seeing as you're the only other hybrid, it is _your_ responsibility to ensure she maintain some level of sanity. And as for Kalli," his voice dropped and he squared himself firmly on Klaus. "She loves you, Niklaus," he noticed Klaus flinch slightly. "A feeling I know you reciprocate, and she has stuck by this family for longer than most. She deserves more than you've given her since her return." The edge in his voice calmed until he was simply speaking. "Don't make the mistake of thinking she'll always be willing to do so."

And without another word, Elijah left his little brother to contemplate what to do. First, he'd deal with Hayley, the more volatile of the two women in his life. Then, when she was calmed and soothed, he'd find K.

~!~

Dealing with Hayley took longer than Klaus thought it would, but things were finally settled. She was speaking with her pack –their pack- and hopefully making some kind of arrangements. He hoped she was wily and believable enough to succeed.

As Klaus walked through the compound and towards K's room, his mind raced with what he could say that might make her understand he hadn't meant to make her feel unwanted. He already felt exposed and he hadn't even found her yet. Klaus hated emotional displays more than nearly anything, but they were becoming increasingly required and unavoidable.

When he reached her door, Klaus pressed his hearing. He heard her humming and singing softly within. He didn't bother knocking and instead entered without invitation.

K wasn't in her bedroom, but she wasn't far. The singing was coming from her bathroom where the door rested wide open. He stepped closer, but hesitated when he recognized the song she sang. It sent chills down his spine because he'd heard it before. It was _The Parting Glass_, a song she sang in the dream that made him wake with a hole in his chest.

His mind swam with images of the dream. He remembered seeing K holding his darling daughter while she paced in the courtyard and sang the little girl to sleep. He remembered the happiness he felt at it. He remembered his brother and Hayley and an overwhelming sense of peace for the first time in his life. The way the dream made him feel and the ache left behind when he woke made it more a nightmare to him, but a nightmare he desired more than anything. It was the life he was fighting for and until Elijah told him K was anticipating leaving, it was a dream he thought within reach.

Taking a breath, Klaus continued his trek towards the bathroom and found a place to lean against the threshold. The claw-foot tub rested at an angle to the door. It was against the far wall which meant the entire length of the bathroom rested between the two. She faced him, but at enough of an angle he wasn't immediately noticed. Klaus decided to declare himself.

"I've heard that song before." He said simply.

K gasped. She grabbed her knees and held them to her chest to shield herself. The water sloshed from the sudden movement and a bit even rolled over the edge. Her eyes shot towards the one who spoke.

"Jesus Christ, Niklaus." She snapped in irritation. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

She continued to stare at him with a mixture of annoyance and anger that he barged in on her bath while Klaus kept the smirk. He enjoyed the scene more than she felt he should.

"Go away." K sighed.

Her eyes drifted back to the sparkling chrome faucet at the foot of the tub and away from Klaus. She waited to feel the air shift in the bathroom indicating he'd left, but that wasn't what happened. Instead of leaving, Klaus came closer. She grumbled to herself, held her knees a bit tighter than before and refused to look at him.

Near the wall next to the tub rested a small wooden step stool. It didn't stand higher than a foot and a half which made it perfect for setting a book on, a drink or a scented candle if one chose to relax. It was the ideal height for anything one might want within arm's reach while bathing. At the moment it was holding a candle. Klaus approached the stool, set the candle on the floor and pulled the small chunk of wood towards the edge of the tub K had been resting against. He took a comfortable seat over her right shoulder.

"Is there a reason you're in here, or are you just trying to be a perv?" she asked when he stopped moving.

Klaus chuckled to himself. He didn't immediately offer an answer, but instead looked to her water. It wasn't clear like he'd silently hoped. Instead it was pale white. A milk bath, something women did often back in their time to keep their skin fair and soft, but seemed old fashioned now. That didn't stop her from indulging, but it made everything beneath the surface invisible to anyone hoping to spy like the hybrid.

"Well, unless you've recently acquired a tattoo hidden somewhere beneath the water," he smiled at the thought. "Then there isn't an inch of you I haven't already seen. Multiple times."

She shot him a glare over her shoulder, but that didn't make his statement any less true and it didn't make her relax either.

"What do you want?"

The teasing smile faded immediately. Klaus's eyes dipped along with his shoulders. He thought about it for a moment. He didn't want to say Elijah had outted her, but he knew he had to say something.

"Are you already regretting coming back?"

K's attention had shifted forward again. When it had, she let her chin rest on her knees. She hadn't unraveled yet, but she'd relaxed a little.

"I just don't know what I've come back to." She told him honestly. "Or who."

Klaus's brows came together. He looked at the back of her head sadly. Elijah was right. It was his fault for her second thoughts.

"Things are complicated right now."

"They're always complicated around your family."

He nodded his agreement silently. Klaus's eyes drifted back to K. They moved lazily along her back, taking in every detail from the random slips of hair that escaped her bun and stuck to her damp skin to marks left behind from her life even before him.

Thin, nearly imperceptible lines danced across her back. There weren't many –six in fact- and barely thicker than the width of a rubber band, but they might as well have been pointed to by an obnoxious neon sign to him. His hybrid eyes could see them as though they were traced out instead of being barely a shade lighter than her skin. He doubted a human would even see them.

Klaus had never noticed them until after they became closer. She gave him a short answer when he asked. K told him she'd been punished for breaking a clay pitcher. Not being the family's child, they held no reservations when it came to punishing her for transgressions and there was nothing more common than whipping those deemed beneath you. Six lashes was apparently the price of a clay pitcher back then. In the modern age, beating a child –and she would have been since she was only eleven when Klaus took her in- was unconscionable. Back then it was as common as spanking. He grimaced at the marks and reacted as he had every time he'd seen them before.

K jumped when she felt him suddenly touch her skin. Klaus hesitated but when she calmed so did he. When she relaxed, Klaus continued what he'd initially set out to do. With light fingers, Klaus gently traced the lines on her back. When they were both lifetimes younger, Klaus would trace the scars and pretend he could make them disappear. Both knew that if the incalculable amounts of his blood she'd ingested through the years couldn't do it, nothing would.

K breathed deeply and adjusted herself a bit. She rested her cheek against her knee so she could speak freely and see Klaus a bit in her periphery.

"I don't want to leave again." K muttered. Her voice was soft and slightly muffled from the knee in her cheek, but Klaus heard her words easily. His hand stopped moving and rested between her shoulder-blades. "And it isn't because I don't have anywhere else to go either." She didn't know why she added that bit, but felt it was necessary. "I like it here. I… I have a family… here."

Klaus's features immediately relaxed and a smile began to form. He couldn't express how happy he was to hear her say she wanted to remain at the manor with him and his brother.

Before she left, Klaus began to realize he was always the one telling her to stay, telling her how he felt and that he cared for her. While she was gone, he began to resent doing so. He thought he'd given her all of the 'power' when he admitted something so personal to her. That was part of the reason he was so agitated when she took so long to return and short with her when she had. He briefly thought he'd left himself exposed and she took advantage. It wasn't until he read her letter –and did more than once after leaving Beacon Hills- that he realized she was simply cautious. He had to reread it many times to remind himself of that fact. After all, it wasn't as though his actions made her think it was 'safe' to tell him how she felt.

Still, hearing her admit she wanted to be around him –even after everything he'd said and done through the years both to her and others- calmed down the worst parts of his being. Klaus returned to gently running his thumb along her skin.

"Then stay." He told her. "But, I can't guarantee things will get better any time soon, at least not until our enemies are dispatched."

"Tense environments I can handle. You forget, I spent eight years with you running from Mikael." She said simply. "It's not everything else that I'm worried about." She turned just enough to look him in the eye. "It's you."

Klaus didn't seem to understand which surprised her. Evidently, the hybrid was either unaware of his incredible mood swings or simply didn't think others noticed them.

"I understand that you're trying to regain your home, and that you want revenge for what happened with Hope." She told him. "I know you're going to manipulate, lie, cheat, steal and kill in order to get what you want, but don't be cruel."

"Odd sentiment all things considered." He muttered sarcastically.

"I'm serious." She said sternly. "The moment you start turning cruel, I'll leave. I refuse to stay here if you-"

Klaus felt he knew the end of the sentence. "If I begin acting like myself?" he asked with a hint of annoyance.

She met his gaze head on. It was a legitimate warning on her part. The moment he began acting like the Klaus of people's nightmares, K would leave. She might hate doing so, but she hated seeing him cruel for cruelty sake even more.

A silent agreement passed between them. When she nodded lightly, Klaus's eyes traveled to the clock on the far wall. There was nearly one in every room of the manor and he felt glad for it. With a sigh, Klaus heaved himself up to his feet.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I've a meeting with a witch." He said to the woman in the tub. "Perhaps I'll be able to figure out just what else she plans to do with her growing recruits. I'll leave you to finish your bath."

"I'm finished." She said.

K reached forward and twisted her finger around the thin chain. They heard the plug pop when it was free and the water immediately began to siphon out. Without reservation and with some renewed sense of self, K stood without concern. Klaus's mouth went lax and his brow rose. He wasn't above ogling as she reached for her robe hanging on a hook near the tub. While he'd bragged earlier that there wasn't an inch of her he hadn't seen, a thousand years was still a long time between peeks, and peek he did. Rivulets of water glided down every muscle and every curve before disappearing when she put on her robe.

K turned and noted his stunned look. It made her beam internally. Stepping out of the bathtub, K gave Klaus a chaste kiss on the cheek and walked passed him into her room.

"Behave." She called back over her shoulder.

It took Klaus a moment to realize she'd said anything at all. Finally jolting himself back into reality, Klaus decided to leave before anything became too 'noticeable'. He gave her a parting farewell before disappearing. Once he was gone, K let her smug smile show. It was a shameless trick, but one she felt she needed to employ. She didn't want Klaus to turn back into what he was when she was gone. She liked who he used to be and who he was becoming again, so if she had to flash a little skin to solidify her threat of leaving should he slip, she would.

~!~

Rustling and loud talking roused K's attention. She stood up from bed and began her trek through the manor to find the heated conversation. Something told her she might need to know whatever was happening. At the very least, she might need to keep the brothers from each others throats.

"Well there's only one thing we need to ask, isn't there." She heard Klaus say. "Which of our parents do we kill first?"

Elijah's jaw tensed, but he didn't disagree with Klaus. If the past was any indication of what was to come, the situation was quite literally _kill or be killed._ Elijah opened his mouth to speak, but movement caught his eye first. They darted to a spot over Klaus's shoulder causing his younger brother to turn and see K standing in the doorway with fear on her features.

"They're alive?" she asked tentatively.

Both Mikaelson men hesitated to answer. It wasn't that they didn't trust her, it was that they didn't truly know what to say. Somehow, everything suddenly felt as it did centuries ago the last time K shared their roof.

"Yes," Klaus finally replied. He was clearly angered by the conversation she'd walked in on. "It appears they are."

"How's that possible?" she asked desperately as she stepped into the room. "They were dead. _Dead_." Neither man offered an immediate explanation. "I saw Mikael burn for God's sake." K was bordering on panic.

"Kalli, sweetheart," Klaus said. He stepped towards her and took her hand in his. "Perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere."

She gave Elijah one last fearful glance –one he'd seen before- as she was led out of the room. At least she was smart enough to be frightened. He was glad for that.

Klaus led her into the study on the bottom floor while Elijah went off to another area of the house to occupy himself. Klaus closed the door behind them and when he turned, saw the fear in K's eyes.

"How is this possible?" K asked again. It was a question she never got an answer to. "Evidently this is a _thing_ with your mom, but Mikael? He was in Purgatory."

"Calm yourself." He told her softly.

Klaus stepped towards her and hugged the young woman tightly. She was nearing panic and had a good reason to.

"But he has the stake." She said into his chest. Klaus clenched his jaw in irritation, but didn't say anything out loud. "Elijah said he has the stake."

K had little to fear when she was living with the Mikaelsons the first time because she was both naive and human. In the slim likelihood Mikael found them back then, she wouldn't have died. She trusted Klaus to keep her safe back then.

After she turned and her memories were wiped, she only knew the fear of hearing Mikael's name whispered by random survivors, but even then no one knew killing an Original killed their line. Even after the knowledge became common, K was lucky being sired by Klaus. He was a hybrid and wooden stakes never worked on him. Now… now she had the right to be worried. Not only was Mikael alive again, but the most feared vampire hunter of the passed millennia –the man who had a personal vendetta against Klaus- was in possession of the only weapon that could be used to kill all of his children.

Klaus recognized the reasons behind her fear and knew he couldn't lie to her. K was smart enough to know fear was warranted and might even be necessary.

"Nothing's going to happen." He told her warmly. Klaus held her tighter than before and gently cradled the back of her head. "I'll never let anything happen to you."

K loosened her grip so she could pull away. Klaus let her. He was glad she only pulled back far enough to meet his gaze.

"He's insane." She said simply causing Klaus to chuckle to himself. She didn't find her statement funny. "And relentless."

"And harbors an astoundingly deep hatred of me," he replied far too casually for her liking. "I'm aware."

"And yet, somehow unfazed." She grumbled. "Why aren't you taking this seriously?"

"You mistake my calmness for contentment." Seriousness took hold of his features. "I assure you, I'm well aware of the possible dangers my father presents. Mikael simply means I have to adjust my plans, nothing more."

"I can't tell if you're arrogant, or delusional." She sighed as she stepped out of his grasp. K turned her back to him as she tried to think. She ran her fingers through her hair as an old way to comfort herself, but it didn't do anything in the end. "Well," K turned to face him. "At least this time I can help."

Klaus cocked a brow. "You're not going anywhere near Mikael."

It was K's turn to be surprised.

"I'm stronger now. I'm not a little girl. I can help."

"If you're _ever_ in the same room as Mikael, you're to run. Do you understand me?" he asked tersely.

"No." she shot back in offense.

"You're not to go near him, and that's final."

K's brows rose high on her forehead. She couldn't believe the words _that's final_ just came out of his mouth.

"So it is arrogance." She said. "Do you really think you'll be able to stop me?"

"If you go near him, he'll kill you, without hesitation."

There was an underlining tone to Klaus's warning that bothered her. She could tell he was worried about her wellbeing if it came to a fight with Mikael, but she seemed to remember something he didn't.

"Yeah well, if he gets his hands on you, it won't really matter will it?" she asked sarcastically. "Kill one, kill them all. That's how it works right?" Klaus clenched his jaw again as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. Somehow, that little fact had slipped his mind. "I can take care of myself, Niklaus, even against Mikael if I have to."

And without another word on the matter –knowing it would turn into a huge fight soon- K stepped around Klaus and left the study.

It took him a moment, but soon Klaus followed after her. He was on edge, even more so after speaking with Cassie/Esther, and K's ever growing defiance to his wishes didn't help things. He'd make her understand, compel her if it came to it, to avoid Mikael.

When he came to the courtyard he noticed K had stopped. He was ready to pick up their conversation where she'd dropped it, but didn't. He soon noticed what caught her attention. Hayley had brought home friends. Five werewolves followed the newest hybrid into the center of the home.

"Are we running a kennel now?" Klaus asked sarcastically.

"I can handle them." Hayley said.

"Our family is under siege. Perhaps this isn't the best time for guests."

"Well if they're not with us, then they're with the witches." She told him. "You wanted me to step up, so this is me stepping up."

A smirk twitched at Klaus's lips. He couldn't fight the pride he felt and it was obvious. There was something in the way he looked at Hayley that made K uncomfortable. She didn't know what it was, but knew she wanted to avoid it as much as possible and it prompted her to do something she otherwise wouldn't have.

"Come on," she chimed, breaking away from Hayley and Klaus and stepping towards the newcomers. "I'll show you around."

Klaus and Hayley couldn't manage to say anything before K disappeared with the strays in toe. She led them into a hallway and towards the spare rooms.

"The manor has fifteen bedrooms and ten bathrooms." She said as she glanced over her shoulder to ensure they were following her. "There are five bedrooms on each floor and these," K stood to the side and pointed to the long line of doors. "Will be yours. Go ahead and set your stuff down. I'll give you a quick tour then you can pick out your rooms."

The werewolves obviously didn't know how to react to what was happening. They were –for the most part- being welcomed with open arms to the Mikaelson compound and being showed around by a vampire. The only thing that made a few of them relatively comfortable with it was they recognized her as one of the vampires who'd helped in the bayou when it was bombed. So, harboring a mild trust of her, they set their things down along the wall and waited to be guided. And that's what happened. K turned into a tour guide.

"The kitchen's right down there." She said, pointing to a large open archway that led to a room at the far corner but they didn't go there. Instead she turned and headed down another hall. "Two of your rooms have bathrooms in them," she turned and looked over her shoulder briefly as they walked. "And I suggest you give those to the ladies." The girls behind her smiled and giggled lightly as they continued on. "The other full bath is through there."

And so it went. K showed them where the dining room was, the studies and the great room. She showed them what doors on the second floor were more bedrooms and which belonged to rooms they could actually go in. It wasn't that the guest rooms were off limits, just that they held nothing of interest for the strangers.

Eventually she led them back down the stairs and into the courtyard.

"And the top floor has mine, Hayley's, Elijah's, Klaus's, and their sister Rebekah's rooms." She said as they finished the jaunt down the steps and onto the main floor. She turned to face them. "It'll be a little confusing at first, but you'll get the hang of it. I'm not your mom, so I'm not going to tell you what to do, but just remember this is someone else's house so… don't be an asshole." K said bluntly. "Go ahead and pick out your rooms if you want." She turned and began back up the steps before yelling back. "My name's K, by the way."

The wolves slowly did as she said and went to pick rooms for themselves. K was making her way back to her room when she noticed someone watching her from the end of the hall. Hayley stood stock still eying her.

"What?" K asked flatly.

"I'm just trying to figure out what you're doing." Hayley said as she began an advance. "You trying to play nice to make sure the wolves are on our side?"

K cocked a brow at the obvious insult Hayley was giving her. Finally, Hayley came to a stop directly in front of K. She crossed her arms over her chest and in it K could see the truth. Hayley honestly thought K was trying to ensure some kind of loyalty from the wolves, to be the nice little homemaker and Klaus's little errand runner. It was more insulting than K thought originally.

"That little hybrid brain of yours is getting a paranoid." K said. "You need to calm down and remember who the real threat it."

K took a step around Hayley, ready to leave the conversation where it was, but the hybrid didn't seem as willing. Hayley reached out and snatched K's arm.

"I'm not done-"

K spun around and wrenched her arm from Hayley. She stared at the girl with anger flashing in her eyes. Hayley remained defiant and arrogant, two traits K hated in anyone.

"Don't _ever_ grab me like that again." She warned. "Go for a walk and calm down before you get yourself into trouble."

"Why?" she asked rebelliously. Hayley squared herself on K again. "You going to go run and tell Klaus? I thought you were supposed to be some kind of bad ass vampire. It just looks like you're doing Klaus's bidding, making sure he gets everything he wants like a good little girl."

K reacted a way she knew she shouldn't have. Violently. She snatched Hayley by the throat and shoved her against the nearest wall. Hayley choked and struggled, but her hybrid strength was nothing compared to K's age. The vampire held her tightly beneath her jaw and lifted her into the air so Hayley had no chance of finding her footing. She stared up at the girl struggling to look at her, her eyes flashing with the vampiric demon she held inside.

"I'm no one's lackey." She hissed through her teeth. K lowered Hayley so she could stand, but didn't relax her grip as she closed the gap between them. K was less than six inches from Hayley's face. "First, you bite me when you lose your temper and now you're baiting me into another fight." She growled. "You need to get this attitude of yours in check because the _only_ reason I haven't beaten the shit out of you or worse is out of respect for Elijah." K slammed Hayley against the wall one final time before letting her go. Hayley coughed and struggled to let the bones in her throat heal as she stared wide-eyed at K. "Like I told you before, I'm not going to kiss your ass like the Mikaelsons. Your tantrums do nothing to me. Get your emotions under control little girl. You're better than this."

K turned and left, continuing on down the hall towards her room. Hayley wisely didn't say another word. It wasn't until K grabbed her that Hayley realized –yet again- she was letting her emotions get the better of her. She never noticed while it was happening, only in the aftermath and K was right, she needed to get it under control.

Hayley left, ready to go back to her own room and reevaluate what she'd become. Neither she nor K noticed Elijah had been spying the entire time. He heard the conversation from start to finish and knew Hayley was losing her battle with the vampire side of her.


	20. Chapter 20

**Short, but the next one might be a bit long. Let me know what you think, and enjoy!**

**Chapter 20**

The buffet New Esther had arranged still sat in the courtyard. To those who knew its meaning, it was an ominous warning. To anyone else, it seemed a sweet gesture. It wasn't.

Klaus and Hayley had disappeared a few minutes ago while a few of his servants were busy taking away the food. Klaus wanted it destroyed, but Hayley managed to convince him that the wolves under their roof could have it. He reluctantly agreed though it was obvious it was only because he had other things to think about.

With them gone, K found herself sitting on the second floor watching the food below being packed away for refrigeration. She was sitting on the ground, legs crossed and hidden behind the wrought iron railings. She couldn't fight the dread that refused to leave her. Esther had come to their home…

Elijah noticed her seemingly hiding on the second floor. Curiously, he approached the young woman who hadn't said a word since the starlings flew out from beneath the silver dome. She heard his footsteps and assumed it was Elijah, a theory that was confirmed when she saw the toes of his thousand dollar shoes appear beside her.

Neither spoke for a moment or two before K decided to break the silence.

"She came here." She muttered softly. "Esther came here in the dead of night, and now she plans to walk right through the front door with your blessing."

"Yes." He replied simply. "But there's nothing to be afraid of. It's simply a dinner."

K scoffed before she could stop herself. Elijah rose a curious brow to her reaction.

"She's a witch, Elijah." K muttered softly. "A very powerful witch with a clear agenda, a thousand years of learning and the one thing your brother will never have."

"What's that?"

K turned enough to look up at the man beside her. The worry she felt was clearly shown on her features.

"Patience." K said. Elijah bristled because he knew she was right. "Esther has a thousand years of patience and Klaus… has a resounding, blinding hatred of her."

"Yes," he nodded with a sigh. "He does."

Elijah, while disturbed by his mother's forced invitation to their home, was finally realizing how his brother may react. Klaus's temper coupled with the one Hayley had since developed meant the two of them were more likely to do something rash and violent before thinking better of it.

"Come with me." He said. K looked up and noticed his offered hand. She took it and was hoisted gently to her feet with his help. Still holding her hand, Elijah began to lead K back through the halls.

"Where are we going?"

"To hopefully talk some sense into my brother." Elijah replied. He glanced to her and noticed she seemed well aware of his impatient and angry brother might do. "And in turn Hayley." Elijah felt K roll her eyes more than seeing it. "I saw what happened last night." He glanced to her and noticed K's jaw had tensed as though she wanted to say something, but was wise enough not to at the moment. "I am sorry she bit you."

"It's not the bite that pisses me off." K said freely. "Hayley's begun to act like an idiot. She's rash, impulsive, aggressive and hateful. Elijah, she's losing control."

Elijah's step hesitated until finally stopping entirely. He turned to the young woman whose hand he still held. While he looked primarily stoic, K could see sadness in his deep brown eyes. In truth, it broke her heart.

"Hayley is suffering." He explained. "She's lost her child along with her old life. She is doing her best to adjust to being a hybrid."

"Stop." K snapped. She pointed a stern finger at the Original. He cocked a brow. "Stop defending everyone. Stop trying to make excuses for them. And stop coddling them. Jesus, they're not your responsibility."

He bristled again. "Hayley was changed against her will, thrust into this world because of my family. That makes her my responsibility." He calmed slightly and added. "She didn't choose this life."

"None of us did!" K defended. "You were cursed by your mother and killed by your father to become what you are. _I_ was killed by you. Her story is no more heartbreaking than any of ours. Yes, her child was taken. Yes, she was turned against her will, but that gives her _no_ right to run around and act however she pleases." K dropped her voice just a bit so she was no longer yelling at Elijah though the conversation was still a tense one. "All of us harbor incalculable rage from a thousand years of losses. We deal with it and move on. She's not a child so she needs to stop acting like one."

A small smile tugged at Elijah's lips. He'd never heard K argue so passionately for something and it was a bit inspiring. While he didn't believe she was entirely the right about the way to handle Hayley, he couldn't deny she made valid points. He was beginning to see why Klaus found her so intriguing.

Eventually he nodded and the two began their trek once more to find his brother and Hayley. They were led easily by the sound of the two talking and K had been right. Hayley was more than willing to begin shedding blood.

"Your retched mother and her disciples tried to put a carving knife through our baby's heart." Hayley said simply. "I will happily add to the body count."

A wicked smirk graced Klaus's expression. It was the same smile K had seen from him the night before and she felt just as uncomfortable seeing it now.

"You'll do no such thing." Elijah said as he entered the room, alerting the pair who'd been there previously to his and K's presence. "Esther is a master in the art of deception. We know whose body she now inhabits. We must decipher her intentions before she finds a new host."

"Well her last invitation was an assassination attempt on all her children." Klaus said tersely. "I think we can assume her intentions are decidingly foul."

"But somehow that makes you think running in there and snapping her neck is the best plan." K said. She was still agitated from her conversation with Elijah and the one that seemed to be happening around Klaus.

"I was actually thinking about ripping out her heart." Klaus told her effortlessly. "But perhaps we should keep the blood stains from the rugs this time."

"You haven't learned anything, have you?"

Klaus stood upright and squared himself on the young woman with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Meaning?" he asked warningly. Klaus was almost daring her to finish her statement.

"Meaning every time you've rushed after one of your parents and killed them, they've come back even more pissed off than before."

"This time I'll make it count." He said through a clenched jaw.

"This time, you'll keep your damn hands to yourself." She shot back without hesitation.

"That woman plans to murder us, and you'd have me do nothing?"

The fight was begging to begin. Each of those speaking were slowly letting their voices grow louder and louder telling everyone else the fight was coming.

"Well then," Elijah interjected when he noticed K was about to shout at Klaus for his short-sided temper. "We have this afternoon to prepare for the worst."

Klaus and K still shot angry glances at one another, but they didn't immediately say anything to each other. Elijah turned to the young woman and waved his arm as though silently asking her to join him. With a final glance to Klaus, K did as Elijah wanted. She didn't want to be around Klaus or Hayley at the moment anyway. When she walked off, Elijah followed suit leaving the hybrids alone.

Klaus grumbled and growled under his breath before noticing something else. Elijah hadn't looked at Hayley once. Taking solace in the fact someone else's relationship seemed to be on thinner ice than his, he decided a parting jab to Hayley was just what he needed to regain his snide confidence.

"Bloom's off the rose I see." He said as he walked around her and through the archway.

She ground her teeth, but didn't hesitate to add her own remark.

"Doesn't look like you're fairing much better." She shot back under her breath. Klaus's footing hesitated, but preceded again after a sharp glare over his shoulder.

~!~

Gia was left to find the python Lenore needed for the soul branding spell. K, who'd been tagging along thus far, continued to follow Elijah. She wasn't needed for anything, but he could tell from their exchange earlier in the morning that she needed time away from the compound, Klaus and Hayley. He simply wanted to give her the break she deserved.

"You haven't spoken in nearly four hours." Elijah said as he and K walked along the street. "I'm beginning to wonder what exactly has you so deep in thought."

"Hm." Was the extent of her response.

"Are you worried about Esther or Klaus?"

"I'm worried about more than those two." She said. Elijah tried not to boast about getting her to speak because he ran the risk of silencing her again. All he did was continue the conversation.

"Such as?"

K took a deep breath and sighed before speaking. It made Elijah realize there might indeed be quite a bit on her mind.

"I'm worried about your idiot brother. I'm worried about your idiot girlfriend." She began. "I'm worried about what your horrible mother has planned. I'm worried about what your idiot brother plans to do about it. I'm worried about Mikael being alive and I'm worried about the Hunter of Vampires having the only thing in this world that can kill everything."

"It feels as though you're blaming my family for your concerns." He said dryly.

K laughed before she could stop herself. The way he said it –completely deadpan and as though he was shocked when he knew otherwise- brought the reaction out. K felt better for it and when she looked to the man at her side, she noticed him smiling too.

The small amount of joy his comment brought was what she needed. Everything had been so tense since she'd come home, so thick with fear, anticipation and dread, that the laugh was welcomed. She thanked him internally for it.

With nothing else to say, the pair continued their walk back to the manor to finish preparing for the night that was to come.

~!~

The four of them stood in the hallway speaking about what was coming. Hayley was going to rescue Lenore so she could finish the spell. The tasks were being handed out which everyone was fine with, until Elijah suggested something that seemed to anger Hayley.

"I don't need a babysitter, Elijah." Hayley growled through her teeth. She shot K an annoyed glare before turning her ire on the Original. "I can do this on my own."

"I have no doubt." He said simply. "But while you rescue Lenore, Kalli is going to retrieve the last ingredient to the spell."

"She can do it on her own." K replied. "The brat can do it by herself."

"Brat?!" Hayley snapped loudly.

K didn't seem to hear her outburst despite it echoing off the walls. Her eyes simply remained fixed to Elijah.

"Be that as it may," he sighed. He glanced briefly from one to the other before looking solely at K. "With Esther here, you need to be elsewhere. I'm certain Niklaus will agree."

Eyes shifted to the hybrid that'd remained primarily silent. He'd been examining his brother and K, watching how they spoke to each other and he didn't like it. There was something underlining, something different.

"He's right." Klaus finally said. His gaze lingered on his brother before shifting to K and Hayley. "The two of you need to be as far from here as possible while my mother's under this roof."

"Whatever." Hayley grumbled. Rolling her eyes, she turned and left.

With one less person to focus on, Elijah and Klaus turned their eyes to K. She stared blankly at the pair of them before resigning just as Hayley had. Without a word, she followed after the short-tempered hybrid and soon disappeared.

Klaus stepped forward and stood beside Elijah.

"What's going on with the two of you?" he asked under his breath.

"Nothing." Elijah answered a bit too quickly. "She's stronger, that's all that matters."

Klaus rose a brow to his brother.

"I wasn't talking about you and Hayley."

Elijah heard the stern, angry tone to Klaus's words. He turned and squared himself on his only living brother.

"If you have something to ask, Niklaus, simply ask it."

"You and Kalli seem to be spending an awful lot of time together since she's come home."

"Yes," Elijah answered. Klaus was temporarily disarmed by Elijah's willingness to admit it. "And you with Hayley. Is there any other obvious fact you care to point out, or would you rather focus on tonight?" Klaus didn't speak. Instead, he ground his jaw which was all the answer Elijah needed. "Good."

Without another word, Elijah stepped around Klaus and left him to prepare for the inevitable fight that would likely occur only an hour and a half from then.

~!~

Hayley and K didn't speak. The moment they were outside the manor, each went off in their own direction to retrieve their respective items. Hayley went to the cemetery and K went to Marcel's home.

When she walked through the open warehouse, a place she didn't need invitation because the building was technically owned by the city, she heard Marcel speaking to Gia. It was an interesting conversation, so she happily stayed silent and spied. When they were talking about Elijah and winning over and Original, she was _very_ interested.

"Look," Marcel said. "I've known that man two hundred years. He's cranky, he's fussy, and he can ride your last nerves. But he has an Achilles' heel. He can't help but tryin' to fix what's broken. Okay? You don't need to be anything other than what you already are, someone who needs his help."

When the conversation died down, K let her heels make sound on the concrete floor. She stepped around the corner and revealed herself to the pair.

"Kalli," Marcel couldn't hide his surprise and worry. Any part of their conversation could have been misconstrued and it worried him she might take it the wrong way. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for a snake, apparently." She replied as she stepped closer. Her eyes shifted to Gia. "Where is it?"

Gia pointed to a box with a lid. K raised a brow to the odd sight, but approached it regardless. Opening the lid, she saw the hefty body of a beautiful baby Burmese python. Without reservation, K picked it up and laced the reptile around her shoulders.

"Beautiful." She sighed. "Such a shame."

"What is?" Gia asked, drawing K's eye again as the vampire approached.

"It won't see tomorrow." She replied. "It'll die tonight, unfortunately, just like every snake ever needed for a spell." She adjusted the animal so she could look into its eyes. "But, it won't be in vane at least."

"This spell got anything to do with Klaus stopping by earlier for a necklace?" Marcel asked curiously.

K looked up and nodded.

"Yes, baby brother, it does."

Marcel grumbled a bit at the nickname which made K smile internally. It was a small little jab that honestly gave the night a bit of levity. Gia, on the other hand, had no idea what it meant. She had trouble seeing passed their obvious differences.

"How are you two related?" she asked before realizing how stupid the question was.

"Same sire." Marcel replied. "Klaus turned us both."

Gia nodded her understanding. Thinking back on her original thought, Gia was suddenly aware of how stupid it was. Of course they weren't related in the traditional sense.

"Ah." She mumbled.

An awkward silence moved into the room, one which K was more than willing to ignore.

"Well then," she said. "Thanks, for this. I'll make sure he's put to good use."

Marcel nodded and Gia said nothing as K left. Because she had been with Elijah and Gia earlier in the day, K was more than aware of where Lenore's store was and was smart enough to realize that was likely where she and Hayley were going. Once she was clear of the building, K raced into the distance with the snake around her shoulders.


	21. Chapter 21

**Okay. Like I said in the last chapter, this one's going to be really, _really_ long. It was originally two, but then I hit a point in 22 that I thought would be a better cliffhanger for 21, so I put them together. I'm actually a little proud of this chapter, so I want to know what you think. I hope you enjoy it! OH! And this is the last chapter till next week. I just wanted to get it up asap. :)  
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**Chapter 21**

Back at the manor, the arguments between the brothers raged. Finn was angry –and to some it might have been justified- but to the brothers who'd remained standing through the centuries, it was little more than annoying.

"This cruelty I expect from Niklaus, but from you Elijah?" Finn defended. "I always thought of you as the compassionate one. What did I do to deserve you turning your back on me? Were you afraid of Niklaus?" Elijah chuckled mildly under his breath. "Are you still?" Finn asked darkly causing Elijah's smile to broaden. "Or perhaps jealousy was why you kept me locked in the box. We all know you coveted the role of the eldest brother, but in a millennia, you've still to fix this retched family."

"You may reside," Elijah began calmly. "Quite parasitically I might add," he and Klaus shared a taunting smile while Finn continued to brood. "In another body, but your _tedious_ sentiments remain quite the same. You see, Finn, like father, you've always hated what we've become. But while he slaughtered and devoured his own, you've remained pretentious and dull, much like this meal.

Finn scoffed derisively. His eyes darted to Klaus.

"And you. Did locking my away finally give you the footing you needed to take over the family? I was the only one who ever stood in your way to becoming the leader of the Mikaelson clan after all."

Klaus could stare at Finn with nothing but rage-filled hatred. His fingers itched to attack, but Finn already made it clear he had magic.

"You know _precisely_ why I locked you in that bloody coffin." Klaus said so darkly it sounded painful.

"Ah yes," Finn sighed slimily. "The little house girl." Klaus's fist tensed to the point his knuckles cracked loudly. It drew Elijah's eye. He knew the youngest of them was on the verge of violence. "I see she's still around, hiding behind your skirt." Every muscle within Klaus went rigid. "Tell me brother, after everything you've done in your long life, was what I did to that girl _really_ so awful?" he taunted.

Klaus slammed his fist into the table, knocking a few glasses over and causing the silverware to clang as he stood abruptly. Elijah did the same. He squared himself on Klaus, well aware he might have to restrain him, while Finn smiled.

"Niklaus," Elijah said softly. Slowly, Klaus looked to his brother with deep black eyes. "Calm yourself."

Elijah could see the rage lapping within Klaus, begging to spill over and send him into a vicious tirade, but Klaus amazingly held back. As though it caused physical pain, he lowered himself back into his seat. When it became clear Klaus wasn't going to immediately react, Elijah did the same and decided he was the one who should speak.

"Now," he sighed as he turned to Finn. "I will not ask again, where is mother?"

"Oh, my darling son." Echoed loudly. Finn immediately shot to his feet, but Klaus and Elijah gladly remained in theirs. Their eyes did however, divert to the doorway. Seconds later, a small girl appeared, one Klaus knew, but not Elijah. "I've missed you, too."

Elijah's shock was as evident as Klaus's annoyance. The night was only growing worse.

~!~

K was sitting in the shop waiting for Hayley and Lenore. She'd been there for nearly ten minutes and briefly found herself wondering if a rescue was too complicated for the hybrid who wanted so badly to prove her worth.

The door suddenly burst open and the pair finally appeared. Lenore hesitated to find someone else in the store waiting for them, but calmed when she realized it was only K.

"That my snake?" she asked as she charged passed the vampire who'd been playing with the six foot long animal.

"Yes it is." She said, standing and following with Hayley right behind her.

"Good."

Lenore quickly went about preparing her alter and gathering supplies while Hayley watched. Like she had when she was waiting for them, K was content to take a seat and continue occupying her time with the snake. She let it slither through her arms and around her neck as it searched for something warm to cling to. Poor thing. It didn't realize the one holding it was as cold blooded as it.

"Snake." Lenore said.

K stood and slowly began to unwrap the reptile as she approached the witch with her hands held out. She handed it over without reserve and returned to her seat in the corner.

"So," Hayley chimed as she continued to ignore K. "Any idea why Esther would do this?"

"Love." Lenore said easily. Hayley scoffed. "What else but love can inspire such pain, and cruelty? And Esther?" Lenore grabbed a knife and sliced open the snake's belly. Blood spilled out as she reached in and yanked out the pieces she needed. She tossed the twitching animal aside and began to squeeze. "Her love is very, _very_ strong."

Lenore began to chant and the spell took hold. Hayley and K watched as it proceeded with mild interest. So long as it worked, they didn't much care how it happened.

She chanted and chanted, nearing the end of the spell when she suddenly lurched and stumbled into the table. K perked and sat a bit straighter, fearing what might be wrong while Hayley reached out in case she had to catch Lenore.

The witch went still. She breathed heavily as though she'd run a mile, but it was something witches tended to do with heavy spell work that took a lot out of them. Hayley and K waited to see if she was alright.

"Are you okay?" Hayley asked apprehensively.

Lenore stood upright. Her gaze darted around the room as though she didn't immediately recognize it. K narrowed her eyes on the witch. Something was different. K slowly pushed herself up and stepped forward.

"Yes," Lenore answered loftily just as K reached Hayley's side. Hayley glanced sideways, surprised K was pushing her behind the vampire's shoulder so she stood just enough between the two. Lenore noticed. "I'm just trying to catch my bearings."

K nodded, but it was obvious she didn't believe her. She still slowly pushed Hayley back when Lenore touched her lips. A scar appeared on the back of her hand. Hayley instinctively took a wide step back and K moved between them more than before. She didn't know why she was protecting the bitchy hybrid, but it seemed to be second nature for her to protect those weaker than herself.

"The mark." Hayley breathed. "It's you, isn't it?"

_Lenore_ smiled wickedly. For some reason, it was as chilling as the one both young women had seen from her son.

"Esther." K muttered.

Hayley's phone began to ring as though on cue. Esther's smile turned almost kind. She reached for a rag to wipe off her hands and nodded to Hayley.

"It's alright, you can answer that." She said.

Hayley quickly dug into her pocket and fished out the phone. She only got their location out before Esther put an end to it.

"They're going to come for me." Hayley muttered weakly.

"My dear, that's the whole point." Esther beamed as though she were proud of herself. "And you," her eyes moved to K. "We've never been properly introduced, though, our paths have crossed before. You attended a ball at my home in Mystic Falls, I believe. Esther Mikaelson." To K's shock, the witch offered her hand.

"You'll forgive me if I'm not being immediately welcoming." K said. "I'm not entirely sure what's going to happen."

"Oh, you're safe. Both of you." Esther said. "I have no reason to harm either of you and I don't plan on it. Tell me, do my sons acknowledge the good either of you have brought into their lives?" Neither young woman spoke. "I thought not. You, Hayley, the young woman who brought them back together. No one knows what a miracle a child truly is, until they lose it. No mother should ever have to suffer that feeling." Hayley's eyes and shoulders dropped. She shifted on her feet and while she was nervous and sad, K's body was still on edge and positioned between the two. "And that's why I want to offer you something, a second chance." Hayley looked up through her lashes. "I want to give you the gift of a new body, freedom from this curse, from being a hybrid. I can make it so you can have a family of your own, children of your own. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Hayley didn't verbally respond, but even K could tell the hybrid was considering it. She could feel the air shift between Esther and Hayley and knew Hayley was considering the offer. Then the witch's eyes shifted to the one in the foreground.

"And you, Kalliope." She said. Kalli flinched which was simply reflexive though part of it might have to do with whom she was speaking to. "You've spent your whole life, _centuries_, serving, helping and supporting everyone, but yourself. Born into slavery and forced to live with a family that never truly cared about you." Hayley's eyes shifted to the vampire and noticed her shoulders were slowly starting to tremble. If she could see K's face, she'd be able to see her eyes tinting pink and glassing over with the promise of tears. Esther knew and pressed further. "Then captured and sold like cattle to Niklaus and the rest of my children. You must have been so frightened, only eleven years old." Esther's voice dripped with sincerity and sadness, but K didn't believe it. Her eyes continued to gather tears. "I know all about you. I watched my children, you see, after my death, so I saw everything while you were with them. I saw the way you looked at my son, the love you feel for him, and what did it get you? A shallow grave, a thousand years of pain, and never quite belonging to anything."

"I had my family." K said with a shaky voice. Despite trying to remain strong, Esther knew just the things to bring up that caused the most pain.

"Did you?" Esther asked with a tone that made K question everything she thought she knew about herself. "You weren't a part of the Bennett family. You were their protector, bound to them by blood magic, nothing more. A slave again, just like in life. Surely even you felt that from time to time. After all, if you were truly family, how could they have cast you aside so easily?" K blinked and the tears that had gathered fell, but she kept her face as blank as possible. "You've never had a friend who didn't in turn betray you, but I can change that if you like. If you let me, I can give you the chance for normal, just as I can for Hayley. I can give you a chance at the life you had stolen from you so long ago. It can be your turn to have a child of your own, the one thing you've wanted more than anything, someone who _actually_ loves you."

The offer sounded good, for both of them. The chance at a fresh start, at being able to pass through time like you were meant to, to have the simplicity of a human life was an alluring concept to the thousand year old vampire as much as it was to the newly made hybrid. Both of them found their minds slipping into thought, exactly what Esther wanted. She wanted them to doubt everything they clung to.

"I assume I have the displeasure of speaking with my mother now." Klaus bellowed as he charged into the backroom, passed Hayley and K until he stood between the catatonic vampire and Esther.

Reacting quickly, Esther reached into a bowl and flung a handful of White Ash at Klaus. It formed an immediate barrier to keep him at bay so they could speak. Rustling from her right caused her to do the same just before Elijah appeared.

"You hide behind your spells like a coward." Klaus growled.

"I did not come here to wage war." She replied sternly.

"Everything you do is an act of war." Elijah said. "If you touch either of them-"

"Your friends are free to go." Esther said. "I've spoken my piece; they know why I'm here. I've come to heal our family, Elijah."

"Well, that's a grand sentiment coming from you." Klaus muttered. He turned to face both K and Hayley. His eyes fell first to the vampire and he noticed her gaze was distant, as though she was lost in her own thoughts and tears stained her cheeks. It caused him to hesitate, but he had other things to worry about. "Kalli," she snapped to, but he could still tell something weighed heavily on her. "Both of you go, now."

Hayley fled immediately, but K hesitated. She didn't seem to remember how to move. A hand touched her shoulder and forced her to jump. It was Elijah. He nodded to her. K looked from one brother to the other before doing as Klaus had said and fleeing.

~!~

Hayley sat on the retaining wall near some of the plants in the courtyard while K paced. Now that she had the ability to move, she couldn't stop. She replayed everything Esther had told her, thought about the _caring_ way she said such hateful things and about what it might be like to be human again. She would want for nothing -she knew that- because she'd acquired a sufficient fortune throughout the years, so the offer was more tempting than she thought it would have been.

Her mind raced, unable to focus on a single thought and it was beginning to hurt. The pain between her temples soon matched the pain in her chest and before she could stop herself, K reacted. She cried out loud and brought her heel down as hard as she could. The slate tile cracked and broke under the intense strength of the hit, but the release she felt was temporary. Hayley wisely said nothing about the outburst.

A few moments later Elijah and Klaus returned. They noticed the damage done in K's wake. They understood so they didn't remark on it either. Instead, they asked Hayley what Esther said to them and she explained.

"Of course she would use those damn birds to make her escape." Klaus seemed fixed more on his mother getting away than what Hayley had to say.

"Besides mother's offer of rebirth," Elijah interrupted Klaus's tirade in favor of more important things. "What else did she offer?"

"I don't know," Hayley sighed. "She rambled a lot. She blamed you two for what happened to Hope, to me."

"Well I trust you're not thinking of taking her offer." Klaus said. Hayley hesitated to meet his gaze which gave him all the answer he needed. He seemed shocked. "Hayley!" he snapped when she wouldn't speak. "I'm talking to you."

"What do you want me to say, hm?" she shot back. Hayley stood and met the angry Original in stride. "I lost my daughter, so when your mother offers to wipe the slate clean, excuse me if I'm tempted." Hayley turned around to face Elijah. "Oh and thanks for the help tonight Elijah. I'm sorry that it takes me being in danger for you to talk to me."

She spoke with such derision and sarcasm, no one could ignore it. It was the final thing to drive K over the edge. She had been stewing in her own sea of emotions for so long that hearing Hayley's biting remark sent her over.

"Enough of your sanctimonious bullshit." K snapped angrily. Hayley paused in step. She was in the middle of storming away dramatically when K finally spoke after nearly twenty minutes of silence. The three in the courtyard with her slowly turned to face the vampire who only stared at Hayley. "I am so _sick_ and _tired_ of listening to you jaw on and on, blaming everybody for everything instead of taking some god damn responsibility for your part in all this."

"My part?" Hayley asked angrily as she walked towards K. Elijah and Klaus didn't say a word. Instead, they backed up and let the two air whatever grievances they had. "Everything horrible that's ever happened to me this passed year isn't my fault. I don't have to take responsibility for any of it."

"You walk around thinking everyone should pity you," K growled. She looked like speaking to Hayley was physically painful because in a few ways, it was. "That we should kiss your ass because you lost your daughter. Well guess what? She's not dead. She's safe and sound, being looked after by one of the craziest, most overprotective women I've ever met, but you act like its some huge travesty." K finally came to a stop arm's reach from Hayley, so mad she was vibrating. "You aren't the only one who's ever lost someone you loved. You're not the only one who's been angry, or lost, or in pain because of something that happened, but you have the _balls_ to walk around this house and try to make others feel guilty about your situation? Are you kidding me? Grow up and stop acting like a fucking child. It's pathetic."

K turned to leave, but she'd awaken some kind of fire in Hayley and now the hybrid had another target. Before she could walk away, Hayley reached out and grabbed K's arm like she'd been warned not to. K instinctively spun around to confront her, but Hayley reacted first. She reared back and swung landing a fierce blow to K's jaw. The shock of it forced K to back step.

Elijah meant to intercede, but Klaus appeared at his side and held his brother at bay. Both knew there was nothing either woman could do to really hurt the other… for the most part. Reluctantly, Elijah remained behind.

"Don't you _ever_ talk about my daughter again!" Hayley yelled. "You're nothing but a dried up old hag! You'll never know what it's like to have a child and loo-"

"Hayley!" Klaus yelled angrily, cutting off her hateful words, but the damage was done. K lost whatever slim control she had over herself and lunged for Hayley.

In the blink of an eye, they hybrid was taken from her feet. The sound of breaking concrete filled the courtyard, but they didn't know where it was coming from at first. Klaus and Elijah looked around to find the source and spotted K holding Hayley against a column a few feet away. She'd slammed her into the structure so hard, it broke from the force. They rushed for her immediately when they realized K had transformed in her rage. Her fangs were bared and her eyes deadly bloodshot.

"Don't you _ever_ speak to me like that again." K hissed. Her voice was twisted into something evil, something the men nearby had never heard.

"Kalli, release her!" Klaus demanded, but his words fell on deaf ears.

He and Elijah stepped around her and each took an arm to try and wrench her from Hayley, but the vampire was so filled with rage that even they found it a bit difficult. Hayley's face had turned a brilliant blood red. She couldn't even cough because her throat was held so tightly.

"I should rip your fucking heart out." She growled. "You are _nothing_, just some stupid bitch who couldn't keep her legs closed."

"Release her now!" Elijah yelled.

With one final jerk, he and Klaus were able to get her away from Hayley. Each brother held an arm while K stared at Hayley with black eyes. The hybrid tried to stare back angrily, but she had to admit she was terrified of the look on the vampire's face. K didn't look like herself, she looked like something demonic had taken over. Elijah and Klaus agreed. Even holding her arms they could tell something was different with this rage; it was too pure, too intense to be like anything they'd ever seen before from anyone. It even frightened Klaus.

Hayley had fallen to the ground, crumbled at the base of the column while Klaus and Elijah held back the irate young woman. Eventually, as Hayley's throat healed and silence moved between them all, K began to calm. Gradually Elijah and Klaus loosened their hold, bit by bit, when she was no longer trembling with hatred. Hayley even stood, but she kept a weary eye on K.

When Elijah and Klaus thought it was safe, they let go of K entirely. They shouldn't have. The instant her arms were free, she shot forward. A loud, bone breaking crack filled the air. They watched in horror as Hayley spun before hitting the ground in a lifeless hulk at K's feet. Their eyes were wide in shock. K simply took a deep breath, let it out slowly and left. She stepped carelessly over Hayley's body and disappeared out the front door of the manor.

Neither brother spoke for what felt like an eternity. Neither knew what to say.

The hybrid had touched on the wrong subject. Both young women were a bit unnerved and frayed by their encounter with the witch, but one a bit more than the other. Hayley was hurt by Esther and when K added to it, she reacted violently like she had with everyone and everything else since losing Hope. What she didn't realize was K wasn't lying when she said she wouldn't hold back or coddle Hayley if she was stupid enough to attack her a third time.

The things Esther said and the way she said them cut K deeper than she realized at the time. It wasn't until she got home and had the chance to replay everything that K realized just how horribly true what Esther said was. Esther hit every subject and doubt K had ever had in a thousand years and for someone who was so incredibly loyal and desperate to belong, it was devastating. Hayley reopened it all and K did what she thought she was entitled to.

~!~

K was resting on her knees at the water's edge. She'd cried for so long, her body no longer had tears to give. She simply sat there, staring at nothing while her mind still raced. She felt no guilt over what she'd done to Hayley. In her mind it was entirely justified. What plagued her so completely was everything else.

A snapping twig behind her was the only thing that broke through the internal Hell she was suffering. K opened her ears and her senses so she could identify who was coming up behind her. She recognized the scents quickly, but didn't turn to greet them.

The first ray of light began to peek over the canopy of trees on the other side of the swamp. She glanced up and watched the sun rise in startling detail.

"She was right," K breathed. Her voice was broken and raspy from crying for so long. "She was right about everything."

The footsteps continued until ceasing a few feet behind her.

"You mustn't let anything Hayley said-" Elijah began.

"Not the _girl_." K hissed, interrupting Elijah's explanation quickly. "Esther."

The men behind her tensed.

"My mother doesn't know what she's talking about." Klaus told her. To her ears, it sounded like Klaus believed his words as much as she did. "It's time to come home."

The two had searched the city for her once they made sure Hayley was alright. After seeing the rage and violence K was capable of her in disturbed state of mind, they feared what she might do if left to her own devices. It took far too long to finally find her. In the end, Elijah suggested she might have gone to the bayou. He wasn't sure why, but a part of him assumed she'd either go for the seclusion or because of the friend she'd buried there a few months prior. In truth it was a combination of the two, but K wasn't near the campsite. Instead, she was nearly a mile away, but the brothers were capable trackers and found her quickly enough.

"Home," K sighed the word softly. Her eyes closed briefly and let the final tear she managed to produce flee each eye. She gently lifted her heavy lids again and focused once more on the sun in the distance. "I have no home." She whispered. "I never did."

"Nonsense." Klaus replied. He didn't want to sound terse, but he knew speaking to her in a sympathetic voice could only make things worse. He simply didn't realize she was too far passed that point to notice if he did or not. "Now come along. You need to sleep, rest. We can think of something to do about Esther later."

K barely felt her head shaking, but they saw it clearly. It felt like her body was on autopilot.

"She was right." K repeated. "I've never had a home or somewhere to belong. Every family I've ever had owned me. Almost a thousand years of servitude, subjugation and molding my life to another's." she spoke so gently, they almost had to strain to hear her and thanked themselves for having the heightened senses to do so. But neither liked what they were hearing. Whatever Esther said to K seemed to have taken root and was beginning to infect her mind. "I'm a shadow, the thing on the outside that can never interact with its surroundings, that's always following and never capable of existing without someone else."

Klaus and Elijah shared a sideways glance. They were startling aware that they were watching K slowly lose her mind. It was a heartbreaking fact; despite the unnaturally eloquent way she was describing how she viewed her life.

K felt her eyes burn again with the promise of tears she thought herself incapable of producing anymore. Her breath hitched when another knot formed in her throat and again her chest ached.

"When I turned," K continued. Her voice had begun to quiver. "Everything was heightened -everything- my sight, hearing, strength… and what I thought was my unyielding loyalty, but that's not true." She gasped as she tried to catch a breath she didn't need. "I was never loyal. I was afraid, afraid that if I didn't do everything my first family wanted, they'd beat me more, or leave me on the streets to die. When you bought me, I did everything you ever wanted," K turned her head to the left so Klaus knew she was speaking to him. "Because I was afraid that if I didn't, you'd let the others finally kill me." Klaus flinched and his head dropped. From the way she spoke, her fears were realized with his family. K looked forward again at the sun that was almost completely visible. The good in her life, the love she felt for and from Klaus or anyone else was tainted now by Esther's words, gone from memory. "And I bound myself to the Bennetts because I was afraid of being alone. Esther was right. I've never belonged anywhere and I can't do it anymore. I can't do this."

Klaus's head shot up. He glanced sideways to his brother and noted Elijah shared his worried expression. There was something ominous about K's words.

"Kalli, sweetheart," he said as he took a tentative step forward. "What do you mean?"

Her head had dropped and she was shaking it from side to side, repeating softly that she _just couldn't do it anymore_. The longer she went without speaking, the more concerned Elijah and Klaus became. Unwilling to let her do whatever it was she planned, Klaus reached out for her. With a jerk, he hoisted K to her feet and spun her around to face him. Elijah slowly stepped forward and watched her from over his brother's shoulder. K wouldn't immediately look at Klaus so he took her jaw in his hands and forced her to. She looked so broken.

"You can't leave again," he told her. Klaus was beginning to sound desperate the longer he watched K babble. He thought her wish was a simple desire to leave New Orleans again… it wasn't. "You hear me? You can't leave again."

K stopped muttering. She stared at him with sadness in her eyes. They were pink from crying, glassy and bloodshot. Her cheeks were damp from hours of crying and her face was twisted into the purest sorrow Klaus had seen in a long time.

"I can't do it anymore." She whimpered as her brows furrowed tightly.

"Do what, child?" Klaus asked, soon mirroring her expression. He was beginning to fear what her fractured mind might consider an escape.

While seconds passed before she found the courage to speak, it felt like hours to the man holding her.

"Feel." The word came out as little more than a breath, but resounded loudly with both Mikaelson brothers.

"Don't you dare." Klaus said sternly. "This was her plan. This is what my mother wants. Don't do this." He pleaded. "Don't turn it off."

Elijah said nothing, but he couldn't hide the fear he felt. He was as afraid as Klaus and had reason to be. It was K's emotions that made her the better vampire in many ways. It was her caring, clear head and empathy that helped reign in Klaus, that helped him in more ways than any of them could fathom so the fear of her discarding that was enough to warrant fear.

She continued to stare at Klaus. His brows were furrowed and worry stained every line, but he couldn't see it registering with her. If K cared, it was nothing compared to everything else swarming within her.

"Kalli, please." He begged softly. Even Klaus knew the implications of her turning off her emotions.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "But I'm not strong enough anymore."

She closed her eyes.

"No." he growled through his teeth. He shook her head just enough he hoped to get her attention.

K suddenly gasped. Klaus froze, but his grip didn't relent. Slowly, K opened her eyes and stared at him blankly.

Klaus narrowed his eyes, searching the sea of green within her orbs, trying-_struggling_- to find a hint of anything. But there was nothing. K was completely empty.

K slowly cocked a sarcastic brow.

"Do you plan on holding my face indefinitely, or are you going to let me go?" she asked with annoyance.

Klaus twitched. Hesitantly, he released his hold on her and stepped back to rejoin Elijah. Both watched as she began to swat at her jeans, ridding them of the debris they'd gathered while she was kneeling on the ground. She cleared her throat, fixed her clothing and took a deep breath. A sardonic smile touched her lips after she wiped the spilled tears from her cheeks.

"Much better."

**PS. I know what K said to Hayley's pretty harsh, but damn they made her character whiny. Shit... I just couldn't help it, not when everyone else's back stories were so much worse and Hope was actually still alive. Hope you liked it.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Oh my god... you guys are so amazing. I can't believe all the wonderful things you guys said and how much you like the chapter. It makes writing this story so worth it. I love hearing that you guys like it. Seriously, thank you so much. I hope you like where this is going! Let me know!**

**Chapter 22**

K was in her bedroom. She stood in front of her full length mirror, holding a skirt to her body and moving side to side as she decided if she liked it or not. She was whistling a little song to herself and completely at ease for the first time in centuries, possibly her life.

As she tossed down the black pencil skirt and picked up a blouse she'd _acquired_, her door swung open violently. K's gaze shifted just enough to see who'd nearly taken it off the hinges, but her attention didn't linger. She had more important things to do.

"Yes?" she asked leisurely.

"What the _hell_ is your problem?!" Hayley demanded angrily as she stormed into K's room.

"You know," K sighed. She turned and tossed the blouse onto her bed before reaching for a blood red dress and repeating the same modeling action she'd been doing before Hayley barged in. "Most people knock on doors, not break them."

Hayley glared openly at the vampire who hadn't bothered to look at her since she'd stepped through the doorway.

"Or didn't they teach you that in obedience school?" K added. The glower Hayley wore turned to a look of stunned shock. Meanwhile a smile crossed K's lips. "Oh yes." She beamed. "I think this one'll do just fine."

She turned around completely to set the dress along the back of the chair nearest her. She noticed Hayley hadn't moved. She eyed her for a moment.

"You're still here…" K muttered. Hayley raised a brow. "Why?"

"You nearly took my head off last night." She replied angrily.

"Oh, right." K chimed as though she'd forgotten. "Sorry about that."

Hayley seemed a little surprised by the apology, but she wasn't sure if it was because K uttered the words or the complete lack of caring touching each syllable.

"Really?" Hayley didn't know why she asked, but the word escaped before she could stop it.

"Well yeah." K said easily. Hayley narrowed her eyes again. Something was off with the vampire, a sentiment that was added to when K pulled off her shirt without regard to her audience or that her bedroom door was wide open. "I shouldn't have broken your neck." K continued just as freely as she took off her jeans and was soon standing in her underwear. "I mean, that was just stupid. I should've ripped out your heart. _That_ _way_, you wouldn't wake up."

Shock again marred Hayley's expression. K didn't notice, or she didn't care. Whatever the reason, she was too busy pulling her arms through the blood-red, wrapped dress she'd decided to wear for the day. She tied the sash and then turned her attention back to the mirror. She smiled at her reflection and began to smooth down any wrinkles in the garment before catching sight of Hayley again. K immediately sighed and her smile dropped.

"Oh my god," she grumbled before turning once more to face the hybrid. "_What?_" she sighed in annoyance. "Don't you have anything better to do than linger in my room?"

Hayley was too stunned by K's attitude to speak. She didn't understand why the vampire was acting the way she was.

The longer Hayley went without speaking, the more annoyed K became. It didn't stop her from moving around and finishing her routine, but it was tiresome.

"You see," K said as she grabbed her phone from the bedside table and began towards the door. "If I'd just killed you, I wouldn't have to deal with you just _hovering_. It's kind of annoying, so, when I get back, be… gone."

And without another word to say to the hybrid, K left. It took a few minutes for Hayley to realize what happened, but eventually she left the bedroom and made her way downstairs. She had gone to confront K, to argue and likely fight about her snapped neck the night before and eventually apologize for the horrible things she'd said, but K's complete disregard was off-putting. It was such a staggering change from the vampire's normal behavior that Hayley had been too dumbstruck to say what she'd gone there to say.

As she made her way down the steps, Hayley spotted Klaus making his way back into the home.

"Hey!" she called, garnering his attention quickly. "What the hell's wrong with K?" she demanded as she trudged down the stairs. Klaus immediately sighed and rolled his eyes. He made it clear he knew _exactly_ what was wrong with her. "What'd you do?"

Klaus turned a stern eye to her.

"And what makes you think I've done anything to her?"

"Because usually when she's acting weird, it's got _Mikaelson_ written all over it."

"Well," he growled through his teeth. "You're not entirely wrong. Sadly," the sarcasm came back quickly. "This wasn't my doing."

"Elijah?" Hayley asked with uncertainty.

Klaus said nothing, but gave her a look that was all the answer she needed. Hayley sighed.

"Esther." She grumbled.

He gave her a parting nod as he stepped around her. Klaus was content to leave the conversation where it was, but evidently Hayley needed more.

"Is she really still angry about what your psychotic mother said?"

Klaus stopped his retreat and spun on his heel to face Hayley. He cocked a brow at the hybrid.

"Honestly," he replied heavily. "I doubt Kalli's angry about anything anymore."

He tried to leave again, but like before Hayley stopped him.

"The hell does that mean?" she snapped.

Klaus's jaw tensed and he gave Hayley a look she'd only ever seen him give to people he was about to kill.

"Hayley," he said with an edge. "Why don't you go speak with the one amongst us more than willing to explain every little thing you seem to have a question for? I've not the time, nor patience."

Unwilling to anger the Original further, Hayley let him leave and went on a search for Elijah.

She called for him as she moved through the halls before finally finding him in the study on the second floor. He was standing at a bookcase, searching through the leather-bound books staring back at him.

"There's no need to shout." He replied in his usual, casual tone the moment he heard her appear behind him. "I am quite capable of hearing you."

"But not replying, apparently." She grumbled before raising her voice to its normal volume. "Klaus said you might know what's wrong with K."

"Forgive me for asking," he began, sounding anything but concerned about offending her. "But why do you suddenly care how Kalli is behaving?"

Hayley narrowed her eyes at the back of his head. Elijah still hadn't bothered turning around to face her, only kept searching the books for whatever he was looking for.

"She's acting weird, that's why." Hayley replied. "What's wrong with her?"

Elijah didn't offer an answer right away, but sighed a few moments after her question. Apparently he hadn't found what he was looking for and finally turned around to face Hayley. He put his hands in his pockets as he stared blankly at her.

"In light of recent events, I think it best you not be in the same room as Kalli anymore." He said simply. "At least not alone."

"Why?" she asked slowly, elongating the word to show her growing agitation. She didn't want to admit to Elijah that the same thought had already crossed her mind after her earlier conversation with the vampire.

"Because, as you know, we're capable of turning off our emotions." He said. Hayley's jaw went slightly lax. "And Kalli has chosen to do so. Given the animosity she's recently displayed towards you, I think it's in your best interest to avoid her until I have the chance to fix the situation."

Hayley's brows slowly rose.

"You're going to fix her, hm?" Hayley asked with an edge. She didn't like his willingness to fix K, not when he so easily turned his back on her when she needed him the most. "And how do you plan on doing that Elijah? Fix her when she obviously doesn't want to be."

It was Elijah's turn to eye Hayley skeptically. He knew what she was fishing for, why she was acting the way she was, but he couldn't let it bother him as much as it did. He knew she needed Klaus more than him, no matter how much it hurt to think about.

"Is there anything else, Hayley?" he asked, neglecting to give the slightest answer to her questions.

Hayley sighed and shook her head as she left him in the study. Elijah relaxed once she was gone, but was still tense. He had to find something that would make K feel again, make her want her emotions back, but he didn't know where to begin. After everything she admitted, everything his family had done to her and the things she'd been through in her long life, he wondered if there was anything strong enough to make her willing to relive that particular pain.

~!~

Klaus was in his bedroom. He stood at the end of the rather large table holding his art supplies, looking through a sketchbook that had seen better days. It was old and tattered, made decades prior and filled to the brim with drawings.

The pages creaked as he turned them, stiff from age and being locked away, and the glue was weak. A few had already come loose, but that was nothing he hadn't fixed by wrapping a thin leather strap around the book when it was stored.

Centuries of memories etched in charcoal and pencil stared back at him as he looked through the pages. There were buildings he'd drawn from memory, monuments he'd seen that were still in their prime in the drawings, but turned to dust in the years passed. There were landscapes of rolling hills, or mountains that jutted out of the ground, trees that were bigger than homes and beautiful rivers, but they weren't what he was searching for. Instead, a face was his target.

Turning another page, Klaus saw a thin piece of scrap paper nestled over the next drawing. It served a purpose and kept the charcoal from smearing. With two fingers, he lifted it and set it aside to see the picture beneath. The face was familiar and yet completely different now. It was K.

Throughout the years –when Klaus would find himself thinking about the little house girl from a lifetime ago- he would press a pencil to paper and she would emerge. Depending on the era he found himself in, Klaus would change K's appearance, as though imagining her at his side. The picture he currently stared at was a portrait of K centuries after he thought she'd died.

In the far corner where an artist would generally sign their work, Klaus instead dated it. 1792. If his memory served, Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah were still in Florence. It wasn't long after they would get on a ship and sail to New Orleans, but at that moment –when he drew the portrait- they were living happily in the decadent city.

K was 'sitting' for her portrait. Like most from back then, she was at an angle to him, her shoulders to the side, but her face direct. Her hair was up in the fashions of the time with intricate curls gathered at the crown of her head and a few tendrils touching the top of her bare shoulders.

The dress she wore was as elaborate as the ones women of that age and affluence were known for. He wasn't going to draw her in a popper's gown after all. She wore something fitting the nobles.

The gown –in his mind- was a brilliant blue. It dipped low in front. The neckline graced the tops of her bust, but didn't curve over her shoulders and left them bare. A tiny hint of lace lined the fabric adding a hint of innocence to the garment.

He gave her a beautiful necklace, made the corset extravagant and glamorous and captured everything of that era he could. But it was her face that held his attention. Being the stickler for details as he was, Klaus made sure to get everything right when it came to her face. He captured the curve of her chin, the line of her jaw, the shape of her lips and the slope of her nose as close to reality as he could. He made sure her eyes were as vibrant in charcoal as they were in life and even added a taunting smirk to her lips he'd seen on more than one occasion. In his mind, it was a perfect representation.

Elijah had gone to speak with his brother after Hayley's assault on him in the study. When he found him in his bedroom, he was surprised Klaus hadn't spoken up. Elijah wasn't exactly silent when he walked into the bedchamber, but Klaus seemed to be too deep in thought to notice. In fact, he was paying so little attention to his surroundings that Elijah was able to take a stance directly beside his brother and see what he was looking at before Klaus noticed.

"You've always had an incredible talent for replication, brother." Elijah said.

"Thank you." Klaus said loftily.

And it was true. No matter the medium or subject, Klaus had always been able to capture it perfectly. Taking a deep breath, Klaus sighed. He looked over his shoulder to his brother.

"Is there something you needed, Elijah?" he asked calmly.

"Have you spoken with Kalli this morning?"

"No," he replied with a soft shake of the head. Unable to stare at the picture of a young woman that in many ways no longer existed, Klaus placed the protective piece of paper back over it and closed his sketchbook to give Elijah his full attention. "She was never in the habit of telling me her plans even before she didn't care. Why?"

Elijah eyed his brother for a moment. Klaus was being indifferent, a sentiment he expressed on many occasions, but not one Elijah expected for the current situation.

"I'm hoping your disinterest is simply a clever way to hide your concern." Elijah said. To his shock, Klaus shook his head. "I take it that means you have either no plan or desire to help Kalli find her way back from this?"

"I'm not certain we should." Klaus admitted. It only added to Elijah's disbelief. "Clearly, this is something she wanted. Perhaps you should simply leave well enough alone and leave the girl to her own devices."

Klaus's voice turned stern and angry before he finished his statement. Elijah didn't press. It gave him the information he needed. Klaus did in fact care that K no longer did, but he was lost and didn't know how to fix it.

And Elijah wasn't wrong. Klaus was upset K decided to take the easy way out and flip the switch. He was angry with her in fact. He couldn't believe she'd rather walk around as some lifeless hulk instead of herself. He was actually beginning to resent her for it, just in the short amount of time since it happened, and that frightened him more than he thought.

"Why not simply compel her to turn it back on if you're so determined to help?" Klaus finally asked after some internal brooding.

"Forcing her isn't helping." Elijah said simply. "She needs to realize she is stronger than this."

Klaus turned to face his brother completely and with a coldness Elijah had seen on more than one occasion, he said, "Not everyone can be saved, Elijah."

Elijah felt himself shaking his head. With nothing further he felt to say, he left his younger brother alone with his thoughts. Klaus's eyes followed after him. He didn't relax until Elijah was gone completely.

With no one in his room, Klaus took the few steps needed for him to reach a chair and fell into it. He wanted to help K, really he did, but he had no idea how to. He didn't know what she needed or what might break her out of her emptiness. He had no idea how to help her because it involved a part of himself he was never good at dealing with.

Between them, Klaus never had to confront his own emotions or rely on them. He was lucky enough to be surrounded by people who were capable of reading him. Elijah and Rebekah were the most in tune with him amongst his family. Perhaps that was why he let them out of their coffins for the longest amount of time. And K was the only person outside his kin who was able to do the same. With those three, Klaus never had to face his emotional side. They were able to decipher things even he didn't recognize in himself, so how was he supposed to help K? How was he meant to help her see the good in life when he himself didn't? How was he supposed to remind her of the good times she'd experienced throughout her long years when he hadn't been there to see them himself?

Left alone after his little talk with Elijah, Klaus was suddenly incredibly aware of how unprepared and unequipped he was to help her. His eyes began to burn the longer he thought about having to look into her eyes and see nothing reflecting back. It forced his chest to ache.

Pushing himself up, Klaus sought out his brother to do something that forced him to bite back more of his pride than he realized.

He didn't have to search long. The moment he stepped outside his doorway, Klaus heard rustling in the room next to his. It was K's. He doubted she was home and even if she was he was curious to see her as the new shell she'd become.

When he reached her door, he noticed the hinges were loose and the doorjamb was splintered. He cocked an annoyed brow to it. Movement drew his eyes quickly however. When he looked up, Klaus saw Elijah was the source of the sound. His brother was slowly pacing through K's room staring at the incredible amount of clothing tossed around.

"This is an interesting development." Klaus said as he entered the room behind his brother.

"Indeed."

Both knew K couldn't careless about clothes or material possessions, and yet here they were, enough garments to open her own shop.

Klaus stepped towards the bed and picked up a pair of jeans. Along with the tag hanging off the waist, another adornment caught his eye. A large, ugly plastic clip was securely fastened to a belt loop. Klaus cocked a brow. He glanced over the rest of the clothes and noticed most had the same piece of plastic.

"Well," he sighed as he tossed down the jeans. "Kleptomania isn't exactly something new with our species, but this is a first. How exactly does she plan to remove the markers?"

Elijah said nothing, but held up something. Klaus recognized it as one of the guns retailers use to remove the plastic security clip. He smiled to himself as Elijah tossed it back onto her bed.

"And the reason you're here going through her things?" he asked after a brief silence.

Elijah took a breath and sighed. He squared himself to Klaus and placed his hands in his pockets.

"I was hoping to find something that might remind her of her humanity." He said bluntly.

"Interesting sentiment." Klaus teased. It was a small jab at Elijah's attempts to make a vampire feel human and caused the eldest brother to fight rolling his eyes.

"Your reasons?" Elijah asked. "I thought you were content to let her linger within the new Hell she's created for herself."

Klaus's taunting stopped quickly. He struggled with the words to tell Elijah what he'd come to terms with a few moments after he'd been left alone in his room. Elijah raised a brow and waited for Klaus to speak, but he couldn't seem to manage. It was in that silence however, that Elijah felt he knew what his brother might be concerned of. He was aware of Klaus's shortcomings as well as his strengths.

"It would mean a great deal more coming from you, brother." Elijah said calmly.

"I'm just as likely to ensure she never comes back as I am to help her." He admitted despite how much it hurt him to do so. But, Klaus was able to find solace and comfort in his ever present sarcasm. "It seems your ridiculous proclivity to save everyone may be needed yet again."

Elijah let a soft smile touch his lips briefly. It was the best Klaus could manage in terms of asking for help or admitting he was incapable of doing something. He gave Klaus a slight nod and in it the hybrid breathed easier.

In truth, Elijah planned to help K regardless of whether or not Klaus asked him to and it wasn't his desire to fix broken things that guided him to it either. It was his fear of what may happen to Klaus. Elijah had seen his brother slip when she disappeared centuries ago. He'd seen Klaus's cruelty grow to unimaginable levels. He watched Klaus do things that warranted the awful stories people told of him and the nightmares they would cause. And he didn't want to see it again.

K brought Klaus a balance Elijah was blind to when she was human. She calmed his mind, eased his tensions and made him better for it. She was the eye of the hurricane that always raged within Klaus's mind and with that version of her finally gone; Elijah didn't trust what might come. It would only end one of two ways if she remained emotionless. Either K would leave and likely never return giving Klaus another excuse to return to his rage, or she would remain, hitch herself to Klaus again and together the pair of them could ravage and destroy anything and anyone who stood in their path or simply because they wanted to. Neither was a situation Elijah wanted to see come true.

So yes, he'd help K find who she was, but only to save his brother.

~~~!~~~


	23. Chapter 23

**:)**

**Chapter 23**

K danced happily as the music played. She laughed and sang with complete disregard to her surroundings. She couldn't careless if she tried and there was something incredibly freeing about it.

Elijah stepped through the door to the bar. He looked up and noticed the woman in red dancing by herself on the dance floor. The bar was nearly abandoned in the early hour, but K was partying as though it were a Friday night in full swing and not a Wednesday afternoon. It caused him to pause for a moment near the door and simply watch her.

She spun and twirled, smiling and laughing while she danced with a drink in her hand. The dress was a perfect compliment to her newly blood-red hair and fair skin. It was a wise choice on her part because there was no avoiding staring at her, but it was strange. K never liked being the center of attention. She preferred lingering in the background. This was simply more proof to her sudden change in personality.

When the song came to an end so did her dancing. Still beaming wide, she finished her drink and started towards the bar. Elijah approached and took a seat beside her.

"Elijah!" she chimed with an infectious smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come looking for you." He said simply as he was poured something to drink.

"Awe." She teased. "Were you worried about me?"

Elijah didn't immediately offer an answer. He was worried about her, but now he was beginning to wonder in which way. She seemed oddly normal and jovial. So far it was only small instances where he noticed the personality shift.

"Well, are you at least going to tell me how you found me?" she asked when he didn't speak. "This isn't exactly a regular hang out."

"I still have a few friends in the Quarter." He replied. Elijah took a sip of his drink while she eyed him skeptically. In truth, _friends_ was a loosely used term. There were more like spies.

"Uh-huh." She smiled. She knew it was a lie. "Oh! I have an idea."

Elijah cringed internally as he turned in his seat to face her. _An idea_ could mean anything coming from someone who –for lack of a better term- no longer had a soul. He was met with a wicked smile that both intrigued and unnerved him.

"Which would be?" he asked apprehensively.

"Would you like to have sex with me?"

Elijah –who'd been ready to take a sip of his drink while waiting for her to speak- froze immediately. The glass hovered above his lips, but never made contact. Slowly, he set the drink back down and let his eyes glide to K. He searched for some hint of her kidding, perhaps even an inkling she was uncomfortable for asking, but there was nothing. She was not only serious, but exuding a confidence he didn't think she should have for that particular question.

"I beg your pardon?" was all he could say.

"Oh come on." She continued to smile. "You're a good looking guy. Why not? Don't you think I'm pretty?"

His mouth opened briefly, but he hesitated to speak. The words didn't immediately come out.

"While I'm flattered-"

"Noooo," she interrupted when she realized he was going to give her an excuse instead of a direct answer. "Do you find me attractive?"

He raised a brow. There were few who wouldn't think K was a pretty young woman. She had desirable attributes, but that didn't make the question anymore comfortable for him to answer.

"Yes." He replied before he could think better of it.

"Then what's the problem?"

He couldn't believe what was happening.

"Wouldn't you prefer Niklaus?"

K snorted a laugh under her breath and shook her head. She took a drink of her scotch before answering Elijah's obvious question.

"The issues there could fill a book longer than a bible." She replied simply. "I don't want to have to deal with him for some fun."

"I don't believe I would be the best option."

"Why not?" she asked freely. "You're obviously all kinds of pent-up and it's been longer for me than I'd care to admit."

He didn't know why he asked, but the question came out before he could pull it back.

"How long is that?"

"Oh god," she sighed. There was a hint of sarcasm when she said, "When was Jackson president?"

Elijah laughed. He smiled and laughed at her comment despite knowing it was the wrong thing to do. The reaction only fed whatever had changed within her, but he couldn't help it. He enjoyed the comment and found it charming which was the wrong thing to think.

Eventually, he realized what he was doing and wiped the smile from his face as quickly as he could, but the damage was done. K saw him lighten towards her and that was what she wanted.

"Again, I'm flattered, but-"

K let out an obnoxious sigh that stopped Elijah's explanation quickly. He watched her curiously as she finished off her drink and stood. Before walking away, K stepped close to Elijah, to the point her chest nearly touched his and looked him directly in the eye.

"Stop trying to play the perfect gentleman." She told him simply. "Placating everyone around you only guarantees your misery. Trust me." To his shock she leaned forward and kissed his softly on the cheek before whispering in his ear. "For once in your life, live."

He felt a whoosh of air when she disappeared. Elijah spun in his seat to see the door left swinging, but K gone.

He was left without a note of understanding. To anyone who didn't know her before, K would seem normal. She was charming, smiled, confident and outspoken. All were admirable traits, but it simply wasn't her. Each of her actions held an underlining tone of uncaring. K ordinarily would have still smiled and likely been charming, but there would be a depth of personality that seemed lacking now.

~!~

Elijah made it home late in the day after the sun had already set. He was still a little shaken by the conversation he'd had with K at the bar on the edge of town. While yes, he was flattered by her blatant compliments and desire to be with him intimately, Elijah knew it was nothing like her regular personality. K –the real K- _never_ would have offered Elijah casual sex. He was not only Klaus's brother – a man she had to know would react violently to even hearing about the proposition- but also someone who watched her grow up and in the end was the reason she died.

It was so disarming; Elijah couldn't muster the courage to come back to the manor until nearly nine o'clock that evening. It was an odd situation. Elijah was actually afraid of K and what she might do. Then again, it could have just as easily been a fear of what his brother may do when he realized which direction K's personality break had taken her.

As Elijah finished climbing the last set of stairs to the third floor and entered the hallway that led to his bedroom, he heard loud booming music. It was strange enough it caused him to pause. Curiosity took hold and he found himself walking towards the sound. He wasn't surprised to find it coming from K's room, but he was surprised by what he saw. Set just outside her door and resting in the hall were two suitcases, bulging with whatever was shoved inside them.

Elijah tilted his head marginally to the side as he took in the implications.

"Who the bloody hell is blaring that racket?!" Klaus bellowed as he rounded the hall at the other end of Elijah. He paused immediately when he noticed the suitcases.

The brothers' eyes met and the same idea passed through their collective heads. Together, they moved towards K's room and through the still broken door without bothering to knock or ask permission. K was humming to the modern tune that rubbed Klaus's ears the wrong way and doing something the hybrid didn't want to see. She was packing.

"Planning to leave, love?" he asked tensely as she snapped off another security tag and began to fold the jeans.

"Yup." She answered casually. K set the garment in the suitcase –which also seemed oddly 'new'- and grabbed another piece to remove its tag as well and repeat the process.

"Why?" Klaus asked. The confidence he usually held while speaking seemed to waver, but only Elijah noticed.

"Pft." K scoffed. "You kidding?" she proceeded to pack and didn't bother looking up as she spoke. "This house is starting to reek of dog. If I don't leave now, I'll never get the stench out of my hair."

Neither brother could hide the shock they felt at her callous words. Even if K wasn't a fan of the werewolf breed –something they had no reason to believe previously anyway- she definitely wouldn't have been so heartless and rude.

"You can't leave." Klaus told her after shaking off the uncharacteristic comment.

K paused in the middle of rolling up a skirt. She turned and finally looked at the men in her room.

"Yeah I can." She said simply.

Her insolence was more agitating than the concern Klaus felt for her personality shift and it gave him a footing he needed. It gave him a platform to stand on, his superior annoyance and attitude.

"You're staying here." He said in a tone more akin to an angry father than an equal.

Then K did something just as unexpected as everything thus far. Perhaps that was why they should have seen it coming.

"Ha!" she laughed. Klaus couldn't hide the shock he felt at the outburst. Neither could Elijah, but his eyes narrowed while Klaus's went wide and his jaw slacked. K continued to giggle at his 'demand' as she went back to packing. "Classic." She mused. It was obvious she wasn't at all intimidated by him like he'd hoped.

They watched her pack away half of the clothing remaining on her bed before zipping shut the suitcase and setting it at her feet. She picked up the smaller one that had been set aside in a chair and began to pack the rest of her things.

"And where exactly do you plan to go?" Elijah asked when it became clear Klaus was either going to explode with rage or couldn't think of anything else to say. "The werewolves have made it clear that this is the only home they'll allow vampires to reside in within the Quarter."

"_Allow_." She scoffed under her breath. "Right, cause I'm really going to let a bunch of temperamental strays tell me where I can and can't live."

"Regardless," Klaus said as he took steps towards her. She glanced briefly out of the corner of her eye at the man who soon stood only a couple of feet from her before returning to the rest of her packing. "You should stay here."

A smirk crossed her lips. With the final piece of clothing packed, she zipped the bag shut and turned to Klaus so he had her full attention.

"Awe," she said mocking, even adding a pout that was more infuriating than anything. She reached out and touched his cheek. "Don't worry, Niklaus. You're a big boy. You'll be fine without me."

He glared at her, though honestly it could have just as easily been the comment that warranted the look, but K wasn't concerned with it. Instead, she knelt down, picked up the suitcase on the floor and looped the bag from the bed around her arm. Without a word, she stepped around Klaus and towards the door. She set her things down and walked into the bathroom for her final bag.

Neither Klaus nor Elijah knew what to say to her to keep her under their roof. Klaus's mind swam to the point the only thing he could do was turn off her radio and end the tirade of ridiculous songs. Elijah walked deeper into the room too when he noticed something on the small, round table near the French doors. An old, worn and broken leather book rested against its slick, cherry wood surface. Gently opening the cover, he could see it was the journal she kept through the centuries.

K emerged from the bathroom with her bag of toiletries and drew their eyes again. She hesitated at the fireplace to dig something out of her pocket. Elijah noticed she seemed to forget the book and picked it up before approaching her.

"Your book." He said as she set something on the mantle.

"Oh… right." K nodded.

Maneuvering the things in her hands, she took the book from him. Elijah felt a temporary swell of hope that she might not be a lost cause. But to his horror, she chucked it into the fireplace without regard. It wasn't uncommon for fires to be lit in every fireplace when it was cold outside and now was no different.

The massive book of memories jostled the logs and sent sparks and ash into the air. Without a glance back, K walked away to let it burn. Elijah immediately reached into the fire and pulled out the smoldering book. He knew the importance of it and had no choice but to save the only thing that might bring her back.

"Oh!" K chimed when she reached her door. If she noticed Elijah eying her skeptically as he swatted off the flames that clung to the old leather, she didn't say anything. In fact, she was only looking at Klaus. "That jewelry's on the mantle."

"Jewelry?" he repeated.

"Yeah." She nodded. "Keep it, chuck it, sell it. I don't care. I don't need it. See you guys later."

And with a smile, she took her things and left.

Klaus turned to his brother and noticed apprehension marring his otherwise stoic features. Both knew the implications of her throwing away something that had been so meaningful. Walking forward, Klaus's eyes traveled to the mantle to see what she left behind. Three trinkets glistened. A ring with a blue gem nestled in a bulb in the center of it. A bracelet made of small chain-links was curled up next to it and the final piece was a thin silver chain with a purple/blue piece of beautifully polished tanzanite as a pendant. She left behind everything the represented who she used to be.

Klaus tenderly took the jewelry he'd given her into his hand and let them rest in his open palm. Elijah could see the hurt growing within his brother's eyes and it broke his heart. To Klaus, K had just dismissed everything he'd done for her, every kind gesture and every thoughtful thing he'd done for her as though it meant nothing. It made him wonder if it ever did.

Rage lapped within him. With a loud growl that turned into a yell, Klaus launched the pieces across the room. They sailed through the air and slammed into the wall before crumbling to the floor. Without a word to Elijah, he left.

The eldest brother was left more disheartened and confused than before. Cradling the journal, he slid the necklace off the mantle and placed it in his pocket. He took slow, deliberate steps across the room and knelt down to retrieve the ring and bracelet. He sighed when he noticed the ring had hit the wall so hard it bent, but placed them in his pocket with the necklace regardless before leaving the room.

When he made it back to his room, Elijah set the book down on his table and retrieved the trinkets from his pocket. He set them gently on the cracked and soot covered leather. Everything he was staring at represented who K was, who she used to be and who he needed to bring back.

Threading his fingers through the long chain, Elijah lifted the necklace into the air. He eyed the beautifully cut gem and knew it was her daylight talisman. And yet, she left it behind. He doubted highly that a vampire who never had to cower from the sun for a single day in her life would so willingly hand over the piece that would condemn her to the shadows. Something was different. She had a secret they didn't know and that made him very curious.

When he set the necklace back down, Elijah retrieved a piece of cloth and gently set the book within it. He wrapped it securely in the linen and tied it shut with the jewelry inside. Still handling it with the greatest care, Elijah took the book to his dresser and set it down briefly so he could open a drawer. Carefully, he set it inside. He knew he had to keep the journal. It was a link, a piece of her past and may hold some clue to bring her back.

~!~

A tall, two story colonial styled home jutted out from between impressive and old trees. The property was surrounded by a tall wrought iron fence. Vines hung from the low branches of the century old tree and bushes darted the fence line.

The walkway from the sidewalk was winding and moved around the natural elements instead of through them giving random hints of brick red without overpowering the onlookers. It led to a small staircase that led up to the wondrous home.

The front porch spanned the entire length of the front of the house with a roof that was supported by beautifully twisted and worked metal columns. The railings that surrounded the porch were the same brilliant white as the house with matching black accents.

Wide windows made up more of the home than actual walls which would let in every hint of light no matter the time of day. The second level was just visible through the trees giving whoever stood on the balcony a beautiful view of the historic Garden District.

Spiked wrought iron lined the green tiled, sharply sloping roof and added the final touches to the ancient home. Complete with shutters and flourished adornments reminiscent of the time when rich French people called the district home, the mansion was an impressive sight to behold to anyone simply walking down the street. And that was nothing compared to the inside.

K smiled at the structure just ahead.

"Hello beautiful." She mused to herself.

"Miss Tantum?"

K turned to acknowledge an older woman approaching her from the side. She smiled kindly to the real-estate agent who approached.

"Hi." She greeted. "I'm Margot Adams, we spoke on the phone."

"Yes," K said, sharing the expression and shaking her offered hand. "I remember."

"Well, this is a bit unusual." She laughed weakly. "Not many showings at ten o'clock at night, but when you were willing to pay full asking price immediately, how could I resist?"

K smiled. Never underestimate the power of greed.

"So, you're looking to buy?"

"Something like that." K mused.

**Well looky there! Let me know what you think. I've got something fun planned for the next two chapters.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Okay, i know I shouldn't upload this much, but I just want you guys to get where I am in the story. haha. There's a note at the end. I want some opinions for the next chapter. Enjoy!  
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**Chapter 24**

K walked along the streets of the city, enjoying her time alone and without a care. People threw that phrase around too much for her liking. Care free_._ No one, no matter how much they wished to believe it, was _care free._ But K was.

K didn't give a damn about anything for the first time in her life. She didn't have a family she had to worry about. She didn't have to protect anyone, placate anyone or worry about whether or not she was in danger. She didn't even care about Esther or the fact Mikael was alive. She just didn't care and it was the most invigorating sensation she'd ever experienced. K truly was care free.

A wide smile crossed her lips and hadn't wavered since she woke up that morning and decided to go for a walk in the Quarter. The sun was shining, she didn't have to worry about burning, and she was completely at ease.

The town was in full swing preparing for the party the following night. There was going to be some kind of celebration of the dead that Friday. She'd join in the festivities.

As she turned the corner, contemplating what to eat for the day, K felt the air shift around her and the unmistakable stench of dog filled her nose. The smile she wore turned wicked and a dark laugh left her lips. She spun on her heel to find two large men standing behind her.

"Hi." She greeted. "Can I help you with something?"

"You know the rules." One said. He drew her attention. "No vamps in the Quarter."

"Oh." She chimed in false realization. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." She didn't hide her sarcasm. "Well, how about we go over there and you can fill me in on the rest of the rules."

K pointed to an alleyway. The wolves –who reeked of false superiority- led her towards the secluded area. They planned to kill her, she knew it, but they didn't know who she was. The moment they were out of sight of the regular populace, K moved. She spun around and thrust her hand deeply into the biggest one's chest. He grunted and lurched forward. She smiled evilly to him as she wrapped her steely fingers around his heart and squeezed. She felt the life slip –literally- through her fingers until he was dead.

She pulled her fist out with a sickening pop and turned to the one left behind. He bared his fangs, growled angrily and stared at her with the purest hatred. It did little more than make her smile broaden. To add further fuel to the fire, K whistled like she was calling a stray. He roared and lunged for her. K was ready to fight, but she didn't have the chance. A flash of fabric flew before her eyes. She heard breaking bones and then everything went still. K was left staring at the dead body of the wolf and it hadn't been her who killed him. Elijah had been the flash and was standing over the body fixing the cuff of his shirt as he stared at her in disappointment.

"Awe!" she whined. "What the hell, Elijah? I had him."

"Enough." He said sternly. "These wolves worked for my mother. Do you really think it wise to draw her attention?"

"Do you really think I give a damn?" K countered. He sighed his annoyance and tensed his jaw. "Look, you guys might be worried about what Mommy Dearest has planned, but I'm not."

"You should be." He said. Elijah took steps towards her. "She's repeatedly tried to eliminate our species and yet you're more than willing to bring her right to your door. Has turning off your humanity also somehow short-circuited your good sense?"

"Ooooo," she teased as she closed some of the distance between them until they stood only arm's length away. "You're even cuter when you're angry."

Elijah fought back the growl her impudence caused, but she noticed him chew on the inside of his cheek. It was his way of keeping his angry words in.

"Oh come on." She said. "You need to relax."

"My mother is looking for any excuse to terminate a vampire. You don't seem to realize the depths of that desire."

"Yeah I do." She laughed. "Cause I've seen how much she hates you guys and she _really_ hates you." Elijah tensed and tore his eyes from her as his frustration grew. It only continued to amuse her. "Oh don't be like that." He glanced to her out of the corner of his eye, but didn't face her completely. "I don't get why you're so worried."

"No," he sighed as he faced her again. "It doesn't seem you do."

"Oh please." She scoffed. "You guys aren't in any real danger." He cocked a suspicious brow. "Seriously, your family had a disgusting habit of coming back from the dead and a ridiculously strong will to survive. I mean, come on. It's literally impossible to kill a Mikaelson. I think you'll be fine."

He fought the urge to smile outwardly, knowing it would only aid her desire to remain as she was. Instead, he offered her his hand.

"Come along." He said. "We need to leave before someone discovers the bodies."

"Ooo," she teased again as she took his hand. "Where are we going?"

"Control yourself." He muttered before they disappeared as though never having been there.

~!~

K invited Elijah into her new home simply out of politeness. He took it all in with skepticism. He found himself wondering how she'd obtained it, but decided he didn't want to ask. He might not like the answer.

K walked through the entryway and passed the grand, winding staircase that led upward, through the parlor and dining room to the kitchen. Elijah slowly followed after her. He was busy taking in the sights. The home was completely furnished which led him to believe that this perhaps wasn't really her home.

"How are you able to walk in the daylight without your necklace?" he called as he walked.

The running water led him the rest of the distance and into a beautiful, startlingly white, and clean kitchen.

"That's a secret I keep close to heart." She replied, musing internally at the double-meaning.

K was too busy washing her hands and picking blood out of her fingernails to notice he'd entered the room, or what she'd left at the table. Elijah felt his blood chill just a bit.

"Friend of yours?"

"Hm?" K looked up as she turned off the water and noticed him staring at the body at the table. "Just a little snack I picked up last night."

Elijah couldn't look away from the dead, open eyes of the young woman slumped over the kitchen table with a gash in her neck. So little blood had escaped the wound, he found himself asking something he didn't truly want the answer to.

"You drained her?"

"Yeah," she sighed. K walked over to them as she dried her hands on a dish towel. "Guess I kind of lost control, but damn she was good." Elijah looked through his lashes at her happy smile. "Wanna try her?"

His shoulders tensed, but he did his best to remain stoic.

"No thank you." He said politely. "I think I'm alright."

K scoffed.

"You are so far from _alright_, it's laughable."

"Meaning?"

"Seriously?" she asked. He'd temporarily disarmed her and he could tell. "You don't know? Your family is the epitome of dysfunctional. And worse yet, they dictate and rule absolutely everything you do. That means you're not alright."

"Some people choose to put others before themselves." He said as he stepped around the table and towards her. "You used to be that way, once."

"Yeah." She nodded before adding sarcastically. "And it brought me nothing but _joy and happiness._"

K rolled her eyes when she walked back to the sink to put the dish towel back. He watched as she reached into an open cabinet and pulled out a pair of glasses followed shortly by a bottle of whiskey.

"You realize you've played directly into my mother's plans, don't you?" Elijah asked as he approached K while she poured the drinks. "She plans to divide us and make us weak. You leaving the manor only gives her what she wants."

"Maybe. Maybe not." She said. K handed Elijah his drink and leaned against the countertop. "But that doesn't mean she was wrong either."

Elijah sighed and rolled his eyes before he could stop himself. She was being ridiculous and it bothered him.

"Does this mean you're considering her offer of a second chance as well?"

"God no." K replied. "She wants to stick me in another body. I don't know about you, but I like this one just fine." She gave him a wink. "At the time, yeah, I thought about it. I mean, who wouldn't? Turning into a vampire when you're nineteen sucks. I wanted children and a family. I wanted that happily ever after, but it's not real so why bother trying anymore. Monsters don't get happy endings."

"I don't believe that." He said honestly.

"Then you're delusional." She said bluntly.

"It doesn't sound as though you enjoy being a vampire at all anymore."

"Oh I do, _now_. Now that I'm not being haunted by my humanity."

Elijah's shoulders dropped. He felt himself shaking his head which she found interesting.

"It's not a burden." He finally said in a voice that made her wonder if she'd broken his spirit. Elijah met her gaze. "Why can't you and Hayley see that being a vampire doesn't make you a monster unless you choose it to?"

K's eyes darkened at Elijah's willingness to throw her in the same sentence as Hayley.

"Why do you even bother with that girl?" she asked coldly. "She obviously doesn't care anymore. Stop trying to think you can make her better or me for that matter."

"She was a proud werewolf and then turned into a hybrid against her will. She's simply trying to come to terms with being a vampire now." He said heavily. "She can come back from this, just as you can."

"You know what being a vampire does?" K asked sarcastically as she set her glass down on the countertop. An edge was forming to her words. She couldn't stand Elijah's willing ignorance to everything happening around him. It was like he refused to believe anything that had happened, like it was an illusion. "It shows who you really are. I was a weak, sniveling little girl who couldn't stand to be alone so she did everything anyone ever told her to just so she could have the lie of a family." She said angrily. "No more. You have _no_ idea how freeing it is to finally give up caring." Elijah's stomach dropped. "And your little girlfriend, always bitching about how bad life is, how cruel, she doesn't know what cruelty is." K growled that part through her teeth. He could feel her anger towards Hayley roll off her and he wondered if it might be the gateway to get through to her or the door to something worse. "That little girl you fell in love with before she changed, that was a lie. What she is now, _who_ she is, that's what Hayley's real personality's like."

Elijah looked like she'd slapped him in the face, but it was true. Being turned only amplified your personality. It brought out what was already there. It didn't manufacture parts of your personality. It didn't create anything. It only shined a light on it and that seemed to be what bothered him the most. He was so stunned he didn't even realize she was expressing anger or agitation.

"What's the matter?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm. "Not who you were expecting her to be?"

He glared openly at her which didn't seem to bother K in the least. She pushed herself off the countertop and stepped towards him.

"Come on Elijah, let that perfect exterior chip, just a bit." She taunted. He didn't speak. "It has to be _exhausting_ trying to stay so calm and regal while you bend over backwards to make everyone happy."

She stood less than a foot in front of him, craning her neck to meet his gaze. Elijah remained still. Without notice, K shoved at his chest just enough he took a single step back. He cocked warning brow to her.

"Come on," she pressed as she again closed the distance. "Get angry. Do something about it." She shoved him again and again Elijah took a step back from it. He ground his teeth and tensed his jaw. "Why are their lives so special?" she pushed him again with the same result. "What makes them more important than you?" she shoved him again and she could see his agitation growing. "Why can't you have something you want?" another push. "They're not better than you." When she pushed him again, Elijah's back hit the wall. He continued to stare at her angrily as though it would make her stop, but she didn't plan on it. "What's wrong?" she shoved at him again despite Elijah's inability to go anywhere. "Getting mad?" push. "Want me to stop?" push. "Then stop being so god damn proper and do something because you want to, not because someone else said so. Grow a damn backbone."

When Elijah reacted, it was swift and took K completely off her feet. Literally. He grabbed the woman no more than a foot away from him and hoisted her in the air. In the same breath, he turned and slammed her back into the wall she'd pinned him against. Before K could register what happened, Elijah crushed her lips beneath his.

He laced his fingers through her hair while his other hand cradled her backside firmly to keep her in the air, but K didn't need the help. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and arms threaded over his broad shoulders, ensuring he couldn't escape as she kissed him feverishly. There was no love in the action, no tenderness or kindness either. It was primal, frantic and passionate.

They nipped and bit at the others lips while their tongues dueled for the supremacy neither was willing to give. Keeping her legs firmly wrapped around Elijah's waist, K's hands moved to his clothing. She began to shove his jacket back and off. Elijah shrugged off the garment as best he could in his fevered state, but it soon landed softly on the tiled floor at his feet.

With the obstruction gone, her fingers began to undo his tie, yanking at it until the expensive silk gave way and loosened. It soon joined his jacket and just as quickly she started on his shirt. Feeling her struggling with the buttons while her lips were busy, Elijah reluctantly pulled away. Instead, he reached for her shirt and didn't hesitate to do something out of character for the eldest living brother. He gripped it firmly and yanked the thin cotton tee wide open. K laughed at the familiarity of it. Evidently neither brother cared for removing a woman's shirt. They were content to tear it off which she was completely fine with.

Gripping her ass again, Elijah spun on his heel with her in his grasp. He pivoted their bodies until the table was behind her. He set her down. Placing his hand to her chest, Elijah guided her back until she was lying flat on the surface. Her eyes were clouded with lust, her breath was shallow and after she shrugged off the tattered shirt, she was laying in front of him in little more than a bra.

Elijah's nimble fingers began to work on his buttons, more than ready to continue with what they had started, ready to take something he felt he wanted, before he caught sight of the body still leaning over the table a foot away from K's shoulder. He stopped immediately. His head dropped and it seemed like he was finally realizing what he was doing.

With a sigh, his hands fell from his shirt. He took K's thighs into his grip and gently guided them away from his body so he could step away from her. She sat up the moment he stepped away. Elijah kept a few feet between them, turning his back to K as he struggled with what he'd just done.

"Problem?" K asked sarcastically.

Elijah wiped a hand down his lips and turned to face her again with his hands finding their place on his hips. He eyed the young woman staring at him expectantly and felt another familiar jolt off guilt. Shaking his head, Elijah began to re-button his shirt.

"Are you kidding me?" she sighed in annoyance. Elijah glanced up through his brows, but remained silent. "Is this like… a _thing_ with you and your brother?"

His brows creased in confusion, but K didn't feel like elaborating on what happened the last time she got hot and heavy with a Mikaelson. Instead, she shoved herself off the table and stood on her own feet just as Elijah dipped down and grabbed his jacket.

"That shouldn't have happened." He finally said as he swatted his hand down the fabric to remove whatever debris it might have gathered. He still didn't meet her irritated gaze. "And you will not speak of it to anyone."

Elijah slid his arms through his jacket and shrugged it back onto his broad shoulders. With the same movement, he grabbed his tie and looped it around his neck.

"What?" she clipped.

He turned and finally looked at her. The only way he could classify the stare reflecting back at him was as annoyed frustration. It was a sentiment he shared in more than one regard.

"You are not to tell a soul about what just happened."

K couldn't hide her shock and she didn't feel she had to. Elijah simply kept his expression blank, but stern, as he tied his tie once more.

"_You_ kissed _me._" She said slowly as though it would help him remember what happened only seconds before.

"It was a mistake." He replied with a sigh. His eyes drifted down as he straightened the perfect knot at his throat.

"Well don't you know how to make a girl feel all fuzzy inside." She quipped. "What's the matter Elijah? Embarrassed?"

"Cautious." He corrected. When he met her gaze again, his eyes were black with lingering desire and worry. "Do you have any idea what Niklaus would do if he found out?"

To his shock, K began to giggle. She laughed like a woman who not only knew, but didn't care about the consequences of her actions.

"Awe, are you scared of your little brother?" she taunted openly before a wicked tint darkened her features. "Or am I just not your type? Are girls with four legs and a tail the only ones that get your motor running?"

His eyes darkened with anger.

"Oooo, I hit a nerve." She mused. "You worried I'm going to tell your brother you couldn't keep your hands to yourself?"

Elijah stepped towards her, sure to make himself appear as intimidating and serious as he could, but K didn't care.

"You're mistaken if you think I'm the only one that will garner Niklaus's wrath if this should come to light."

Still smiling, K closed the distance between them again.

"You're mistaken if you think his tantrums scare me." She replied. "He literally can't do anything to me that hasn't already been done before."

And she wasn't exaggerating. He could kill her. Wait, Elijah beat him to it. Lock her away in a cell? Been there. Break her neck? Done that. Vervain her? Send her into a coma? Bite her? Poison her? Shoot her? Torture her? There was nothing Klaus could do that hadn't already been done to K at one point or another in her life and Elijah seemed to slowly realize it. He saw no fear, not an inkling of it, anywhere in her eyes.

"You have no idea how liberating it is not to give a shit anymore." She said. Still grinning, K stepped around him and back to the counter to retrieve her drink. He shifted his stance so he could keep her in his sight. She took a sip. "You should try it some time. Maybe then you wouldn't be such a tight-ass."

Shaking his head and incapable of thinking of something else to say, Elijah left without a farewell. K giggled into her glass as she finished off her drink. When she set her glass back down, her eyes fell to the body at her kitchen table. Her nose curled. Nightfall couldn't come fast enough. She wanted to get rid of the thing that was literally rotting.

But as she stood there, resenting the human for being stupid enough to die, another thought crossed K's mind. Another wicked grin formed and with it a plan. She knew how to get her kicks come sun down.

**Okay! Opinion time! I have an idea for the next chapter, but I need to know how into it the chapter should get. Evidently some smut has been what a few of you guys want, and I'm thinking I might oblige. :) How in depth should it get? Rated R (basically what you'd get on HBO or Showtime) PG13 (brief, but a little in depth) or straight PG (skip over anything fun to the end product) Let me know!**

***Note: Wow! After those comments, I'm starting to wonder who the smut should be with. haha**


	25. Chapter 25

**Perverts! All of you! And I'm enabling you! hahaha. That being said, I loved all of the comments! Seriously, you're the best and because of that, I decided that THIS will be my last chapter until next week. I hope I do ya proud and to those of you who don't like this kind of thing, just skip to the very end if you want. I tried to find a nice balance between graphic and sexiness without being crude. Again, I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!**

**Chapter 25**

Klaus stood a few feet back so he could better see his canvas. He'd only just begun, so it held little in the way of a design. He was trying to envision what might be hiding within it, to see what the paint wanted to become, but his mind was filled with other thoughts.

The breeze that rushed through his open French doors brought with it the smell of the city and something familiar. A hint of jasmine touched his nose and he felt himself hating it. A neighbor at the end of the block grew the vines in their courtyard, but it was also a scent that surrounded K. The familiarity of it forced his agitation to grow with little aid.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Klaus took the wide step forward so he could press brush to canvas when the air shifted. He almost didn't notice until he heard the familiar click of heels against his hardwood floor. Klaus paused with the bristles of his brush pressed to the painting. He glanced just over his shoulder to see who he hadn't expected, but was glad to see.

K had walked through the open windows and into his room. Her feet carried her slowly through the large suite as she stared lazily at the art and supplies that littered most of the once free space. The moment she reached his periphery, Klaus kept his gaze on her and watched as she stepped closer. K was busy looking at anything but him until she came to his side and her eyes fell to his blank canvas. It was nothing more than splotches of gray.

She cocked a brow. "Very modern." She said before meeting his gaze.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

Klaus wanted to keep his words short and tense. It was easier after he saw how easily she discarded the jewelry he'd given her centuries prior. Klaus looked back to the canvas and began swatting paint along the surface again.

"Awe," she mocked softly. K stepped close enough he could feel her body inches from his shoulder. She reached forward and ran her fingers through the short hair at his temple. "Are you still mad at me for moving out?"

He shrugged off her touch which only made her smile. Instead of leaving him alone which seemed to be what he wanted, K snatched the brush from his hand. Klaus didn't move for a moment. He had to let the shock of her taking something from his hand subside before turning around to see her tossing it into a mason jaw filled with paint thinner.

"The hell are you doing?" he asked tersely.

K spun on her heels to face him and only kept the smile. She didn't offer a verbal answer, but she did answer.

Silently, K untied the sash of her knee length trench coat. Klaus said nothing about the garment because it was a needed accessory. It was winter –or at least close to it- and even vampires needed to pretend to be cold, but he should have paid more attention. With quick flicks of the wrist, the buttons were undone and the coat opened. K shrugged it off easily and revealed the reason for her visit. Klaus's brow rose and a smirk touched his full lips. K was left standing in a black laced corset, matching boy-short styled panties, stockings and heels. Every hint of fabric was black which made her ivory skin glow. The final touch was nothing more than her letting her hair down.

Without a word, she closed the distance between them, laced her hand through his hair and pressed her lips to his. Klaus kissed her without reservation and let himself relax into the way things used to be. But they were nothing like it had been back then… Now, Klaus couldn't break her.

Klaus threaded his fingers through her hair and deepened the kiss as much as he could. Relief swept through him as the anger, rage and loss he'd been stewing in for the better part of the past six months faded into nothing. Their passions grew alongside their desires and while Klaus was ready to be swept up within the tidal wave of it, K seemed to have other plans. Taking his bottom lip between her teeth, K pulled away, in turn biting it gently. Klaus groaned, but didn't bother fighting the action. Smiling impishly, she stepped out of his grip entirely. Klaus tried to tighten his hold, but she was wily and light on her feet, slipping through his fingers easily with little more than a twist.

He opened his mouth to speak, to ask why she even bothered coming to him when he realized what she was doing. She took soft steps towards his bed in the other half of the wing. Reaching for her back, K gently tugged on the strings holding her corset closed. When the first bow was undone, she reached for the second and pulled. Soon the severe angle to her waist had diminished by half. With it loosened, K could easily unhook the front and did so as she continued to walk leisurely to his bed.

Klaus followed after her with the same measured steps, not willing to rush, but more than willing to pursue. It was only seconds after she untied the lacing that the entire garment dropped to the ground with a light thunk. Klaus's footsteps stopped immediately and she seemed to sense it. With the same wicked smile she'd donned since arriving, K glanced playfully over her shoulder at him.

"Well?" she asked seductively. "What are you waiting for?"

It may have taken him a moment to realize she spoke, but only a moment. The same grin that graced her lips soon touched his. Filled with the same confidence he exuded through the majority of his afterlife and the desire she'd helped stoke, Klaus started towards the young woman at the foot of his bed.

Gripping the hem of his shirt, Klaus shed the garment easily and lobbed it across the room without regard. He didn't care where it landed or if it did at all. He was more focused on the half naked woman.

K didn't move. She simply waited for him with her back turned. When Klaus reached her, he took her hips into his hand and spun her around so he could better see everything he'd only caught glimpses of when she was in the bath. He had to admit, without her humanity, her inhibitions seemed to have disappeared completely and he rather liked that part.

Klaus threaded his fingers through her hair and kissed her again, but while he was willing to remain marginally tender and caring with his actions, K had something else in mind. The instant his lips touched hers, Klaus was taken off his feet and slammed into the archway that led to his bed.

He was stunned by the suddenness of it. The expression was written across his features as he looked at the woman responsible. K simply giggled. She found his surprise funny. He might have been annoyed ordinarily, but there was an intriguing glint in her eye.

"Have it your way, love." He replied simply.

Tenderness be damned. Before she could register the action, Klaus dipped down, gripped her backside and spun. He slammed her into the same wall he'd previously been pressed against and made sure it counted. He heard her grunt from the force and the aged plaster crack. Chunks of it fell to the hardwood floor, but neither heard it.

K barely managed to steady her head –dizzy from the hit- and open her eyes when she felt Klaus tug on her panties. They ripped easily with his strength and soon joined the rest of her clothing on the floor. A belt buckle clanked. A zipper unzipped and she felt it.

Klaus thrust himself into her before K had the chance to register even being naked. She cried out from the welcomed intrusion and clung to Klaus's shoulders. Her fingernails dug into his skin, piercing the flesh as she struggled to catch her breath. Klaus didn't fair much better. He had to bury his forehead in the nape of her neck while his head spun and his body went rigid. Over nine and a half centuries and hundreds –if not thousands- of lovers filled the gap between the last time Klaus had been with K and the present. He was unprepared and K was impatient.

"Don't stop," she whispered breathily into his ear before nipping at his lobe. Klaus did little more than sigh. "Please,"

A light chuckle echoed in his throat, but he hadn't the strength to bring it to fruition.

In the mere seconds that had passed, K grew more impatient than before. She tried to move them, rock her hips or shift her body, but when Klaus had gone rigid, he became immobile. Finally having enough, K shifted her features and bit into his shoulders.

Klaus howled from the unexpected pain of the bite, but bit it back quickly when he found his bearing. With the speed his hybrid body was capable of, Klaus sailed across the room and to his bed. He toppled onto the thick mattress with K on her back. The sudden movement jostled her enough her bite came free. He pushed himself onto his elbows and saw her staring up at him with innocent eyes and his blood staining her chin. Growling at her insolence, Klaus threaded the fingers of one hand through her hair and planted the other against her hip to pin her to the bed. Without warning, he pulled back and thrust into her again, this time with power.

K immediately cried out, but the sound was devoid of any pain. Her back arched, pressing her chest into his and her head into the mattress. Klaus repeated the action and delighted not only in the sounds she made, but watching her eyes flutter shut. But once he began, he couldn't stop. There was something unique about K, something he never felt with any of the other faceless women he'd slept with throughout his life and he reveled in it.

He tugged on her hair with each powerful thrust which only made her moan more than before. Klaus couldn't express how happy he suddenly was. He didn't have to be delicate. He didn't have to be careful because he'd break her fragile human body if he became overzealous. He could release his frustrations, his anger and everything else that had been bubbling inside without fear of what might happen to her if he did.

Klaus soon sat up on his knees and took K's hips into his hands. Without him to hold, K clutched the messed blankets beneath her while he continued his assault. Klaus was privy to a view he'd longed to see for centuries. She was completely exposed to him and the world if it cared to look. He could see her body react to his touch, her chest bounce with each thrust and watch where they were connected if he chose, but he couldn't look away from her face. Klaus was drawn into the way her face expressed how she felt, how she welcomed his touch.

He reached forward and grabbed her wrist, gently guiding her up so she could sit in his lap. K followed his lead without protest and once again wrapped her arms around his neck as she straddled him. But neither stopped moving. K's hips rocked into his with a strength she never possessed as a human and he benefitted from it. Klaus cradled the back of her head and pressed his forehead to hers while they moved. His mind drifted to how things were centuries ago and what was to come.

Feeling every muscle in his body begin to tingle and electrify, Klaus knew he had seconds at best before the end would come. Still cradling the back of her head, his free hand glided between them and found her most sensitive flesh. K cried out from the unexpected sensation and began to sway harder than before while Klaus caressed her. Her breath turned short and he knew she was close. Shifting his features to their most wicked form, Klaus bit into K's shoulder at the base of her throat and drank.

Within an instant, each of them was shoved over the edge of a cliff and into a sea of ecstasy. Her blood exploded in his mouth, bringing with it the taste of her lust, and slated desires. It was the most intoxicating and alluring combination that forced him to submit milliseconds after she did.

Their actions began to slow, their panting returned to normal breathing and all the while he fed from her. Eventually –after what felt like an eternity- Klaus had his fill and released her skin. The wound stitched itself up without his help, but he didn't notice. Every cell in his body was still vibrating.

K's forehead rested against Klaus's shoulder. She let herself revel in the sensation he created. She should have come to him first instead of Elijah. Klaus was the one who knew what and where to touch, how to do it and made her body tremble in the best way. And his bite… it became so commonplace when she was human that it soon became the only way she could truly enjoy herself in sex. It was that sharp, delicious pain that made the pleasure all the greater.

Klaus gradually pulled away from her just to see her face. Her eyes were heavy and darker than before. He could see the satiated look staring back at him and didn't bother to hide his smug pride. K cocked a brow to his bloody smirk.

"Is that the best you've got?" she openly taunted.

Klaus's eyes turned black and his smile grew. He reached up and guided some of the hair out of her face.

"Let's see, shall we?" he said in a husky, slated voice.

And it began again. The two indestructible creatures proved just how unbreakable their bodies were. Their surroundings didn't fair as well.

Throughout the hours, there didn't seem to be anything they didn't do. They battled for dominance and over who would be on top though Klaus didn't put up much of a fight. They went against furniture, the wall and even the floor. By the time they were done, there wasn't an inch of the other that hadn't been explored or touched.

The brisk scent of dawn began to glide through the still open doors to his balcony. It let the pair resting on the bed know how long had truly passed, but they weren't entirely done.

K's head fell back as she cried out again. Klaus held her hips to ensure she couldn't move while he felt his body release. When the waves began to subside, K ran her fingers through her hair and looked down at the man she was straddling. Klaus met her heavy gaze with one of his own and a smirk on his lips. She returned the smile and leaned down.

Instead of kissing him like he thought, K bit into his throat. Klaus groaned, but did nothing to stop it. He simply held her to him as she drank her fill. Through the hours, each easily drank a gallon or more from the other and this was simply her ensuring his bites wouldn't become infected. Just because she'd been immune thus far didn't mean it would stay.

Finally she parted, but didn't sit up completely. K crossed her arms over Klaus's chest and laid her body against his. She continued to smile slyly at the man beneath her. She chewed softly on her bottom lip. Her eyes darted along Klaus's features, ignorant to the way he was looking at her. While she basked in the fun they had, to his shock Klaus thought beyond the physical tryst. His mind was brought back to their time together, before his heart turned black, before his family and mind were broken and before she died. He felt himself encircled in something dangerously familiar.

Klaus ran his fingers through her hair and brushed it behind her ear. It drew K's eye. He felt his lips curl into a genuine smile –one of the few he had anymore- and said something he should have known better than to utter.

"I love you." He whispered softly given their proximity.

While the smile on K's face was kind and warm, he was close enough to see the emotion never reach her eyes. And then she said something more shocking than his admission.

"I know." She replied. Klaus's face immediately dropped.

Without bothering to elaborate or wait for him to say anything else, K pushed herself off both Klaus and his bed. She walked over to her jacket and began to thread her arms through it.

The odd phrase took longer than Klaus would have liked to penetrate his mind, but it soon did. He stood up and gathered a pair of his pants to slip on. He somehow felt exposed all of the sudden.

"What did you just say?" he asked.

K glanced up. She was in the process of putting on one of her shoes and supporting herself with a palm against the wall when he blurted angrily. Her brows came together and when the shoe was on she stood upright.

"I said I know." She answered as though it were obvious.

Klaus stared at her in angry shock while K's eyes darted around the room to find her other heel. She finally spotted it and began to slip it on as well when she noticed Klaus hadn't said anything else. The moment she looked up, she could tell he was angry.

"Look," she sighed as she wiggled her foot into the shoe. "This was great. I mean honestly, I'm pretty sure we can put everyone to shame, but-" K hesitated. She ran her fingers through her hair and adjusted her clothing to look more presentable despite the blood on her face. "I don't love you anymore, Klaus." She delivered the almost devastating declaration as though it didn't matter and then added with a shrug. "I don't love anything anymore."

With nothing further to add, K turned and left Klaus alone in his room. She decided to leave through the front door either because she wanted to or to silently show everyone who was responsible for the concert they all had.

On her way down the hall, she passed Elijah. K gave him a knowing smirk and continued on her way without a word. Elijah was left standing near his door swimming in confusion. He'd only just returned home.

Determined to find answers he somehow knew he wouldn't want, Elijah retraced K's steps and found himself stepping into Klaus's bedroom. While he wasn't entirely surprised, the damage left behind forced him to pause.

Art supplies littering the floor were the first things that greeted him as he walked into the suite. A space had been cleared in the center of one of the tables and while a smart man would've already guessed its purpose, the clear impression of K's backside in the dust was simply irrefutable proof.

As he stepped further into the bedroom, Elijah noticed the molding along the archway looked as though someone had tried to peel it off with their bare hands. He was able to guess which position led to that… Another wall had a divot in it the size of someone's back and broken plaster on the floor beneath it.

The bed was in disarray if not completely destroyed. The mattress was shoved with enough force it rested crookedly on the frame. The comforter was on the floor beside what looked like a corset. The sheets were tattered, torn from the bed and covered in blood. And, as though Elijah hadn't seen enough, Klaus was standing just to the right of his bed looking as though he was lost in thought.

Blood was smeared along the hybrid's lips and chin like he'd recently fed, but that wasn't the only place the red substance touched. It graced his neck in light trickles but primarily centered on a circle shaped like someone's mouth. Another just like it touched Klaus's right peck, the other side of his neck and his wrist. But, as though Elijah wasn't already forced to see enough of the proof Klaus and K left behind, peeking out just above the waistband of Klaus's jeans was another bite. It was so low and nearly invisible that Elijah knew immediately what had transpired before Klaus was bit. It made him feel a little indecent just having spotted it.

With a sigh, Elijah was prepared to berate his brother for being so careless with the antique's their home was furnished with, but paused. For the first time since stepping into the room, Elijah noticed Klaus's expression. His brows were pulled together, his mouth slack and his eyes focusing on nothing. If Elijah had to guess, Klaus looked like he felt _dirty._ It was an odd enough sight to shift the eldest's line of questioning.

"Niklaus," he said. Klaus jolted back into reality. His eyes found focus on his brother and Elijah realized the hybrid didn't even know he'd entered the room. "Are you alright, brother?"

"I feel sullied and used…" Klaus muttered before he could think better of it.

Elijah rose a single brow at his brother's answer. He didn't know if he should feel bad for Klaus, or simply say _I told you so_, until Klaus added something that threatened to break Elijah's heart.

Meeting his brother's eyes, Klaus said something he never thought he would.

"She's gone." He said. A flash of fire touched Klaus's blue orbs that looked suspiciously like brewing rage. "Whoever that is…" Klaus even went so far as to point towards his door as though Elijah couldn't guess. Klaus shook his head softly. "That's nothing more than a shell. Kalli's gone."

Elijah's shoulders fell and his heart finally chose an emotion. Sympathy. He felt pity for his brother of the deepest kind.


	26. Chapter 26

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 26**

Friday came and with it the festival of people in the streets. There were a lot of them dressed as members of the dead, zombies and skeletons alike trolling down the streets while the real monsters, the real dead, wore their civilian clothes and went unnoticed.

Elijah had been looking for Klaus for the majority of the day. After the night he spent with K, Klaus was somewhat unstable. He seemed to come to the realization that there would be no saving her anymore. He said there was something in the way she looked at him, that she was completely empty inside, that told him undoubtedly that K was gone. Klaus decided it was impossible for her to come back and shortly after showering, he disappeared.

Elijah didn't trust his brother not to do something foolish or potentially violent. He wanted to explain to his brother that no one was beyond redemption. After their time together, Elijah assumed Klaus would have known that, but somehow –in this instance- it didn't don on him.

To only add more to Elijah's plate, Marcel had just been attacked by more of Esther's dogs.

"Brother!" Elijah's voice echoed through the compound easily. "Niklaus!"

Hayley quickly met him in stride in the middle of the occupied compound.

"You do realize that literally _everyone_ here has supernatural hearing, right?" she asked sarcastically.

"Where is my brother?"

"Just let me check my calendar- oh wait, not his wife." She replied in the same uncaring tone.

"Hayley," he sighed in annoyance. "This city in under siege by an army of beasts following my deranged mother's every command and Niklaus is on the precipice of slipping back into the same dark, _violent_ path that has taken him his entire life to try and return from. Now considering it was your people who just declared war on my kind, perhaps now isn't the best time for your particular brand of _sass_."

She was temporarily disarmed by the clipped and cold way he spoke to her, but Elijah didn't have the patience for her attitude he generally did. He simply wasn't in the mood.

"Klaus left awhile ago. I don't know where." She said shortly before letting her words soak in sarcasm. "If only there was this magical device that allowed you to call someone. I don't know. I'm out of ideas. Good luck." She turned to leave, but only made it a few steps before thinking of something else she wanted to say and returning. "Oh, and those _beasts_ are still my family. Hurt any of them and you'll have to worry about more than your bitch mother."

With that, she finally left. Elijah stood in the center of the courtyard watching her leave until she disappeared. K's words briefly surfaced in his mind. He wondered if her new attitude really was her true personality and the woman he'd grown to care for was nothing more than a façade. He honestly couldn't say. It was one of those things that only time could reveal.

~~!~~

Meanwhile, Klaus was busy with Cami. The little blond girl continued to prattle on, forcing him to somehow reveal things he otherwise never would have. He did have to admit though; it was rather therapeutic getting everything out in the open like he was. Perhaps he needed it like she suggested. Then again, it could have just as easily been his desire to purge some of the incredible things praying on his mind and without K to be his shoulder to lean on, Cami would replace her.

"Isn't there anything you care about, that you're willing to fight for?" Cami asked when Klaus was done spouting his hatred of his parents. He eyed her through his lashes warningly. "Come on, there had to be something, someone. You're a thousand years old. There has to be an epic love story in there somewhere. Your whole life can't be just about revenge."

Her words cut him deeper than Klaus would ever admit they did. They forced him to relive something he didn't like to acknowledge even happened. They forced him to think about _her_ and before he could pull them back, the words came out.

"I've cared for people before, and not just my siblings." Klaus said with a slight slur. He looked at her sternly. "Despite my rather abrasive exterior, I have loved and quite deeply, I might add." He added the last bit as though it would give his past actions some kind of vindication.

"You're talking about Kalli." Cami said. She tried to hide the jealousy she felt, but her words still came out a little terse.

Klaus nodded slightly, but the look on his face led her to believe there was something else, something he wasn't saying.

"But?" she pressed.

"But she's gone." He said shortly. Klaus took a long drink, finishing off what was in his glass quickly.

"Gone? How? Isn't she in New Orleans?"

"In body, perhaps." He said cryptically. When he waved down the bartender and motioned for another drink, Klaus caught sight of Cami's confused expression. "Those of us with vampire blood have an incredible talent, you see, amongst others. We can turn off our emotions."

The bartender came over, switched Klaus's empty glass for a full one and left. He didn't hesitate to drink it.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"We can shut off our humanity." He repeated. "Completely rid ourselves of feeling a single thing. Makes us the ideal monster really."

"Then why haven't you done it?" she asked. "If even half the pain you've shown me is real, why not shut everything off so you don't have to feel it?"

"Because I refuse to let my parents win." He replied with a tense edge to his words. "I _refuse_ to admit defeat, and that's exactly what that is. Shutting everything off is nothing more than admitting you aren't strong enough to handle anything."

"You sound like you're mad at her for doing it." She said. Klaus shot her a warning stare over the edge of his glass while he took another sip. "Well you do. Maybe everything just got to be too much for her? Did you ever think about that?"

"It was my mother." He growled. "She _infected_ Kalli's mind, made her doubt everything…"

Klaus seemed to slip into his own world and speaking as though he was alone in the bar. She only watched. Cami wasn't sure if it was her psychological curiosity that dominated her mind or if it was the part of her that cared about Klaus. Whatever the reason, she felt bad for him in some ways.

Cami wasn't far off in her assessment though. Klaus was angry at K. Before last night, he was agitated she took the coward's way out, but more worried than anything. He didn't know what it would do to her, what being inhuman would cause the young woman to become. It wasn't until they spent the night wrapped in each other's limbs that he realized the extent of the change. When she looked at him… She was completely empty. The light that was once her was snuffed from existence and in the hollow stare, Klaus found his anger.

He felt like she betrayed him, abandoned him even. She was always his rock, his anchor and the one to help him in silent ways that others couldn't. But she turned her back on all of that and for what? Because his mother couldn't keep her mouth shut? Was she so easily swayed? Was he so easily dismissed? It made him question whether she ever cared for him at all. If she did, she wouldn't have been able to flip the switch so easily, right? Even after Stefan was compelled to turn his off, he still couldn't harm Elena. A part of him made it through the monster. But not K…

After a moment or two of thinking on his own, Klaus eventually realized he was in a room with others. His eyes shot up and met with Cami's pitying stare.

"You care about her a lot, don't you?"

"I loved her," he admitted, much to Cami's shock, but he soon followed it up with something very Klaus-like. "Once. She's little more than a hollow husk now…" then his voice turned briefly distant. "Empty and cold."

Hearing Klaus –of all people- call someone else cold and empty was a shocking thing to the little blond. It made her wonder just how much the vampire might have changed and how much Klaus cared for her.

~!~

K was asleep in her bed when she felt a horrible ache in her shoulder. It woke her from a dead slumber. The pain burned and forced her to cry out. Shoving the slim strap of her nightshirt out of the way, K was privy to a hole in her shoulder where the pain radiated.

"What the fu…" she breathed.

K tenderly touched the aching gash and immediately had to bite back a groan because of it. She chewed on her bottom lip when she realized what it had to be.

Throwing her blanket off, K quickly dressed to find out what, or who, was causing her body injury. She had an idea and it wouldn't fair well for anyone involved.

~!~

K was still stewing angrily about being 'stabbed' while she slept. Whatever Klaus was doing he needed to stop and she was going to make sure he did. So she searched, and searched and searched for any trace of him, but after calls to Elijah and Klaus that went unanswered, she realized she was going to have to do it the hard way. Obviously, Klaus was going to need to be confronted and told to be more careful because whatever he was doing wasn't working.

The sun had already risen and still K hadn't found Klaus. She was ready to go home and try again later when she felt it. It felt like someone stabbed her in her chest. The sheer magnitude of pain took her to her knees. K cried out and slammed her eyes shut as she felt every inch of a stake being driven into her heart.

She panted, trying desperately to catch her breath, but only one thought kept pulsating through her mind. Klaus. It was the only explanation. Something was horribly wrong.

Tears began to well in her eyes the longer the pain persisted. It saturated her completely and made it nearly impossible for her to rise to her feet. Nearly. She had to find him. She had to find Klaus and stop whatever was hurting him.

With long, determined breaths, K pushed herself to her feet. She closed her eyes to steady her mind and searched it. She tried to tap into the psychic link she shared with the hybrid, praying it worked both ways.

Her feet soon found a rhythm and quickly carried her to the source of the pain. K pushed herself as hard as she could and sailed through the air as though she were flying. The fire pulsed and it threatened to consume her to the point K didn't realize an actual hole had formed in her chest. The hole appeared just as it had the night before, but this was worse, this was beginning to bleed.

Blood saturated her shirt as she ran through the grounds of some abandoned yard. She didn't know what the red buildings used to be and she didn't care. She could smell Klaus's blood as though it were her own and ran for him.

K slid to a stop of the dirt covered ground in the room Klaus lay. Cami was struggling to pull the stake out of his chest, but Mikael all but guaranteed it was impossible for the weak human.

"NO!" K screamed.

Cami looked up in horror to see K standing nearby, bleeding profusely and staring at Klaus with the purest horror and fear. Tears suddenly sprang forward in her eyes the instant before she moved. K dove to Klaus's side. Her hand came out and hesitated to touch his cheek. It looked like she so badly wanted to touch him, maybe even hug him to her, but she didn't.

"Not again," she whimpered so softly Cami almost didn't hear her. "Not again, not again…"

K's mouth hung open as she desperately tried to find her breath. Her mind was bombarded by images of the last time someone had plunged that horrible magical totem into his chest. He went up in flames an instant later and she felt an all consuming coldness take hold much like she felt seeing it now.

She struggled to keep the images out of her mind, but they refused to be ignored. The only thing she could do was focus on the stake. With shaking hands, K gripped the hilt of the object in his chest and ripped it out with one hefty yank. She breathed easier the moment it was free for more than one reason.

"Oh my god," Cami muttered. Her voice wasn't capable of much more. "What happened to you?"

K didn't answer. Instead, she pulled the hem of her v-neck shirt down to reveal the phantom hole. Slowly, it began to close and she relaxed. Cami noticed the wound on Klaus's chest doing the same and wondered if it was possible K felt Klaus's pain.

She tried to find a question to ask, or even a word of warning to let K know Mikael was nearby, but she couldn't muster the strength to do it. She was dizzy and too many confusing things were happening to give her the focus. When she did decide to warn K of Mikael, Cami was silenced again. K honestly didn't seem to notice the blond in the least, more concerned with the hybrid on the ground than anything.

K was kneeling at his side still and hovering over him. She finally found the courage to touch his face and did so tenderly as though she was afraid he'd break. Cami watched in stunned curiosity as K gently ran her fingers along Klaus's stubble ridden cheeks and watched with bated breath as his skin returned to normal. The instant the grey was receding; K breathed a heavy sigh of relief and let her head drop.

She didn't look to Cami like someone who'd turned off her humanity. Maybe Klaus was wrong…

"The hell do you think you're doing?" Mikael bellowed as he came back into the room.

K's eyes shot open and found focus on the eldest Mikaelson. She set the stake down and stood.

"Ah, the little girl that helped bring me back last time." Mikael said. Despite the time that passed, Mikael was more than capable of recognizing K as one of the group who'd plotted with him to kill Klaus in Mystic Falls. "Don't tell me you've decided to save the mongrel."

"You did this." She hissed.

"Yes," a smirk graced his lips as he took a step forward.

"Take another step and I swear to every god you believe in, I'll rip your _god damn_ heart out!" she yelled.

Mikael paused, but not from fear.

"You have spirit." He replied. "I'll enjoy breaking it."

Mikael shot forward the same instance K did. The two collided in the middle of the room with a thunderous boom. Each threw a punch at the other, tried to get their hands on their opponent, but it was difficult.

Mikael launched K away from him and quickly reached for a piece of rebar. The instant he turned, he was met with K. He didn't hesitate to shove it through her gut, but that didn't stop her. Fuming with the purest rage she'd ever felt, K took steps closer to the man who skewered her.

"Ah," he sighed with a sick form of reverence. "A true warrior, at last."

"I'm going to feed you your own insides." She growled through her teeth.

"Perhaps, but until then."

Mikael lifted the bar in his hands which in turn took K's feet off the ground. She cried out in pain before Mikael heaved her up and over his head. She fell into a pile of debris and lay motionless.

Beaming with pride, Mikael began again towards Cami. The blond weakly tried to hold him off and threaten him with the stake. It was a sad attempt in his mind. He knew she wasn't a danger. The problem was, he shouldn't have taken his eyes from K.

When Mikael turned his back, she pushed herself to her feet. Glaring angrily at the arrogant Viking, K gripped the edge of the rebar and yanked it from her own gut with a sickening pop. She tossed it aside and raced for him.

Before Mikael could reach the body of Klaus or Cami, K was on his back. She reared back and sank her teeth into his throat. Mikael howled in pain as she bit down as hard as possible into his flesh.

The large man twisted from side to side to get her off his back, but she held strong. Finally, after she took pints of his blood, Mikael reached over his shoulder and grabbed her by the back of her head. Holding her hair firmly, he tugged. K risked being scalped if she didn't relent, so she did, but not before taking a piece of him with her.

K twisted in the air and landed low on all fours. She stared defiantly at Mikael, even going so far as to spit out the chunk of his throat she'd taken with her. It hit the ground with a wet thwack as she began to slowly rise, waiting for his next attack.

Marcel and Hayley emerged from the shadows seconds later. Mikael could feel them behind him and his suspicions were confirmed with a glance over his shoulders.

"Enough!" he yelled loudly. "This night has been a long parade of fools. I'll enjoy killing every last one of you." He growled through his teeth. Behind K, Klaus gasped his first breath after the stake. "From his bitch," he pointed to Cami, then turned an angry eye to K. "To his whore."

"Then come on." K replied in the same tone.

He growled, ready to launch himself at her again when Klaus stood. He took steps to put himself between K and his father as Marcel, Hayley and Davina soon joined the grouping behind him. His eyes were only on his father.

"It's over, Mikael." He said calmly. "You're outnumbered. Are you going to beg for your miserable life?"

Mikael began to laugh. He shook his head at what he deemed a pathetic scene. Reaching up, he touched the area K had removed. The blood soaked his clothing just as much as Cami's had. He gave K one more angry glare before turning his gaze back to Klaus.

"You think having people makes you strong?" he taunted. "It proves how _weak_ you are. Come find me, when you don't have fools, women and children to fight your battles."

Without another word, Mikael disappeared from sight. Almost immediately, everyone began to calm. Those who had someone there they cared about began to inspect that person for injury. Klaus was ready to turn around when he spotted something on the ground. It looked suspiciously like a chunk of flesh. He remembered Mikael had touched his neck and wondered who would have been stupid enough to bite the man. When he finally did turn, he noticed K was the only other one covered head to toe in blood. It soaked her jaw, throat and clothes.

K was busy speaking to Davina, likely pleasantries considering their mild friendship, and didn't notice anyone else. But he continued to stare, his mind racing with what might have happened with he was asleep.

After Davina walked away, K seemed to sense she was being stared at and glanced around to find the source. Her eyes fell to the blank-expressioned Klaus. They stared at each other in silence while those around them spoke. He opened his mouth to say something and made the motion to take a step towards her, but he didn't get the chance. With a look of both sadness and relief in her eyes, K disappeared.

He snapped his mouth shut so he wasn't still gaping like a cod when he spotted Cami. At least that was someone he could help, so he did.

While Klaus examined her neck, she touched his chest. It forced him to place his hand delicately over hers.

"Thank you." He finally said. It drew her eyes. "You pulled the stake out in the knick of time. A moment longer, and-"

"I didn't pull out the stake." Cami said quickly. Klaus's brows came together in confusion. "Kalli did." His expression dropped slightly. "She just showed up and…" Cami sighed and her eyes drifted shut like she was remembering something difficult. With a soft shake of the head, she finally met his eyes again. "When she saw you on the ground, she let out this _horrible_ scream…"

"Probably fearing for her own life, I'd imagine." He replied curtly.

"No," Cami said. She didn't know why she felt the need to explain, but did. Perhaps it was how hurt Klaus looked when he spoke about the other vampire the day before. "She looked terrified and not the kind you get for your own life." Klaus sighed and rolled his eyes before he could stop himself. "Klaus," she touched his hand to draw his focus. "You didn't see her. She went after Mikael like… like some kind of rabid animal. He put a piece of rebar through her stomach and she didn't even flinch."

It was obvious Cami was desperately trying to make him understand or at least realize K wasn't the hollow shell he thought she was before.

Klaus felt a single brow rise at Cami's recount of what happened while he slept. Slowly, his eyes drifted to the area K once stood.

"Interesting." He muttered to himself.


	27. Chapter 27

**This is basically pt 1 of a single chapter, but it was going on and on to the point it was nearing 7 thousand words, so I've decided to break it up. Hope you guys enjoy it. The next one will be up next monday night.**

**Chapter 27**

K had spent the better part of her time completely drunk. It required a substantial amount of alcohol to achieve, but she was more than willing to keep the spirits coming, anything to help her forget.

In truth, the alcohol made everything worse. She should have known that too. It helped warp her memories of the fight with Mikael and turn them into something that hadn't even happened.

She'd see Klaus lying on the dirt covered ground of the warehouse with the stake in his chest. That was how it always began in her mind. She'd see him there, gray and unmoving, with the cursed stake in his chest. She'd rush for him but just as she got hold of the stake, he would burst into flames. Her senses would be overrun by the scent of his burning clothes and his skin melting off his bones. Drenched in fear, K would either stand back to watch him burn or reach into the flames and try to retrieve the stake to no avail and burn herself in the process.

The memories weren't even accurate. While they stemmed from actual events –watching Klaus burn once already from the stake and witnessing the same when Emily was burned for witchcraft- they had somehow milled together to create one cohesive, frightening thought.

When she made it home, bathed and flossed Mikael's flesh out of her teeth, K immediately went to bed. She was exhausted and fell asleep quickly. Then the nightmares came. Shortly after that, so did the drinking. It had been three days since the fight with Mikael and K spent the entire time drunk and awake. The memories made her afraid to go to sleep because asleep she couldn't keep them at bay.

K was sitting in her living room with a drink in her hand. The end table beside her had three bottles, two of which were empty and the third was on its way. She couldn't drain it quickly enough. No matter how much she drank, the thoughts just kept coming.

When her doorbell rang, it pierced the silence K had grown accustomed to. It hurt and forced her head to ache as though someone had thrust a rusted railroad spike into it. And K actually knew how that felt too. Not a pleasant memory, but it gave her something to compare the pain of the doorbell to.

It rang again, echoed once more through the house and forced her to cringe.

"Go 'way!" she bellowed with a slur. K thought it was nothing more than a neighbor or a solicitor and if they rang that bell one more time, they'd be dinner.

To her shock, they didn't leave, but they didn't ring the bell again either. In fact, the next sound that met her overly sensitive ears was the door opening. K rolled her head to the side to see who was brave enough to come into her house. She partially expected to see Elijah. She was sorely disappointed.

"Whoa…" the word was all Hayley could manage when faced with what she saw.

She followed the stench of alcohol into the living room just to the right of the entryway and found K slumped low in a high-backed armchair close to the fireplace. The vampire raised a brow to the intruder, but could manage little else. Instead she raised the drink to her lips.

"What'd you want?" she asked into the glass before taking a long drink to finish off its contents.

Hayley had been busy inspecting her surroundings. Bottles encircled K. Seven –from what Hayley could see- were scattered everywhere at the vampire's feet and the chair she was in. Two more empties were at her side and the only one with liquor in it was on its way out.

When K lifted the half filled bottle of whiskey, she nearly dropped it. The odd scene drew Hayley's eye for obvious reasons.

"Seriously?" she asked flatly when K nearly chipped the rim of her glass when she dropped the bottle's neck to it. K didn't answer, but continued to sloppily fill her cup. "Are you drunk?"

"Tryin' to be." K answered. When her glass was completely filled to the top, she pushed the bottle back onto the table and took a hefty drink.

"I didn't know vampires could get drunk." She said as she took calculated steps closer.

"Mhm, but it's hard." K grumbled. "Damn liver keeps healing…"

Hayley cocked a brow and finally came to a stop when she was about six feet from K. For some reason, despite having carried on most of a conversation with the hybrid, K seemed to notice her for the first time when Hayley stopped walking.

"The hell you doin' here?" K asked. There was a hint of anger in her words, but honestly the liquor drowned most of it out.

"I was going to ask for your help." Hayley admitted begrudgingly. "But now I'm wondering if you can even stand up."

"Ha, ha, ha, ha…" K mocked as she took another drink.

Hayley bit the inside of her cheek. She wanted to yell at K, tell her she was being ridiculous and that drinking the sheer amount of whiskey she seemed to have ingested was irresponsible, but she didn't. Instead, she finally thought before she said anything.

After the fight with Mikael, Hayley heard what Cami said to Klaus about the way K reacted. She heard about the vampire attacking the Viking and how she reacted to seeing Klaus almost dead. To anyone with a heart, it would have meant K was drowning in alcohol because everything that happened in the warehouse was traumatic and affected her. The only problem with that theory was K wasn't supposed to care enough to be acting the way she was. It made Hayley wonder if coming to K for help was a better idea than she thought before.

Earlier, she'd been desperate and wanted to go to anyone who even knew Elijah to help find him. Now she felt a glimmer of hope that K might care enough to help instead of kicking her out or possibly following through with her previous declaration of killing the hybrid.

"Elijah's missing." Hayley said after a few minutes of watching K continue to attempt to drink herself to death. "No one's seen him since before the fight with Mikael."

"Esther's prob'ly got 'im." She slurred.

"We figured that." Hayley replied tersely.

"Then he's not missing," K said as she finally met Hayley's judging stare. "Is he?"

Hayley glared openly at K and crossed her arms over her chest.

"And you don't care?" she asked. K did something akin to a shrug, but it was as half-assed as the rest of her movements. "So, when Klaus is in trouble, you come running, but when Elijah needs you-" K stared up through her lashes at Hayley, silently warning her to watch what she was about to say, but Hayley didn't care. "You'd rather sit here and drink."

"It's adorable how you think you know anything." K muttered.

"I know you'd rather sit in here and wallow than do anything to help someone that's actually been there for you." Hayley snapped. "I know this is just some bullshit attempt to keep from feeling anything."

"Works for humans."

Hayley scoffed and added, "And I know this was a waste of time."

"Then leave." K offered like it should have been obvious. "I don't care."

"And that's the problem!" Hayley yelled angrily. "How can you sit here and do nothing with Mikael and Esther running around? How can you do nothing about it?"

"Easy." She said. K reached for the bottle again and poured the rest of it in her glass. She took another long drink. "Like this."

"Pathetic." Hayley scoffed. K looked up again. "You walk around like you're this noble, all-in, would-do-anything-for-someone person, but the first time something big happens, you run home and bury yourself in a bottle."

While Hayley spoke, K's eyes turned bloodshot and red. She'd transformed in her anger, letting the monster inside come to the surface and still Hayley spoke. When she finished her insults, K flew towards her too quickly for Hayley to register until her back hit a wall and she felt the pressure on her throat.

"You know _nothing_ about the kind of person I am." K hissed through her pointed fangs as she stared at Hayley. "You've only had to deal with things like this for a few months. I've had to deal with it for a millennia, so you don't get to lecture me on how you think I should or shouldn't act. You hear me little girl?" she growled. Hayley didn't respond because K kept just enough pressure on her throat to keep her from doing so, but she let go soon. She took a few steps back. "Get out, before I skin you or something."

Hayley stared blankly at K. She wanted to say something else, confront her further or say something that might make the vampire want to fight, but she didn't. Hayley began to realize she didn't have the right to do so, and not just because of what K said. Over the past couple of weeks since K had come back, Hayley was nothing but insolent and took every chance to jab and insult her. So she stayed quiet and decided leaving was perhaps the best thing she could do. Without a farewell, Hayley turned and walked out the door.

When she was gone, K returned to her seat. Before she fell into the cushioned chair, K spotted what happened to her glass. In her rush for Hayley, K hadn't set her glass down. Instead, she simply dropped it and the proof was everywhere. Shards of glass and a puddle of whiskey glistened against the dark hardwood floor. She grumbled and pursed her lips at the sight. That was her last bottle.

"Damn it…"

~!~

K didn't know if she was more affected by Hayley's words of the fact that she had run out of liquor and didn't want to get more. Whatever the reason, she didn't venture out for any of the substance that had dominated her week thus far.

She had gone to take a bath not long after Hayley left and that was where she remained for well over an hour. She hadn't even come up for air in that time. Once the large tub was full, K slipped beneath the water's surface, hung her legs over the edge, and remained there for much longer than any human –and even some marine mammals- could.

The water drowned everything out, every sound, smell, thought, everything. Not needing to breathe, K was more than willing to remain under the water for days if she felt like it, but she didn't get the chance. Without warning she felt the bones in her neck fracture.

K gasped and shot up. Water splashed over the edge of the tub and tumbled across her bathroom floor when she broke the surface. K struggled to catch her breath and even coughed up some water in the process. She touched her neck to ensure that it hadn't really broken. Still frightened about what might have just happened, K looked around the bathroom and found that she was in fact alone.

Slowly, the water and K began to calm. She was still breathing heavily, but was able to close her mouth instead of panting like before. K massaged the sides of her throat. Something was wrong… She didn't have to guess who was responsible.

K pulled the plug and stood. She didn't know what she planned to do –if anything- but she somehow felt exposed like she was the one in danger and she didn't want to be in a bathtub if she was. Without bothering with the water, K got dressed and waited for the inevitable.

~!~

"_This offer is your last chance at salvation. Reject me now, and you will live out the rest of your days alone and unloved."_

Esther's words echoed in his mind and no matter how he tried to drown them out, they simply continued to resurface. As he stared at the body of his brother, Klaus felt himself needing to speak to someone else.

He turned sharply and headed towards the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Hayley demanded. She was at Klaus's heels as he left Elijah's bedroom.

"I need to speak with someone." He said curtly.

Hayley paused in step. She felt she knew who.

"Kalli?" she asked. Klaus immediately stopped, but didn't turn. "What's the point? She's not the same person anymore and it's not like she'll even tell you the truth. Why would she? She doesn't care about anything, or anyone."

Klaus lingered for a moment. He didn't know what he expected from the vampire he planned to visit, but he knew he had to speak with her. Without a word to Hayley, Klaus found his footing and left the compound.

~!~

He stood on the porch of her new home waiting for her to answer. He knew she was there because lights shined through most of the windows.

Klaus knocked and waited patiently with his hands behind his back for her to answer. Part of him thought she'd be more likely to ignore it, but to his surprise she didn't. K opened the front door to find him standing there without expression. She shared the distant look though he could tell she was confused.

"May I come in?" he asked politely in a calm, even voice.

K hesitated to do anything. He could see her mind swirling with excuses or reasons as to why she shouldn't be doing what her body seemed to do regardless. Obviously confused as to why she did it, K stepped aside and opened the door further as she did. While she didn't speak, Klaus took it as an invitation.

He stepped through the threshold, gave her the slightest nod of thanks and continued into the home. He admired the stark white walls and deep woods briefly, but never stopped walking. K's eyes followed him as he lingered briefly in her entryway before turning to the right and stepping into her living room. She closed the door and followed after him.

When she reached the archway, Klaus had already made it to the fireplace against the far wall that faced the entryway. He kept his hands clasped loosely behind his back as he paced along the giant fireplace and took everything in. She didn't know what he expected to find or see because there was nothing anywhere in the home that told her story. The possessions there belonged to the previous owners.

K lingered in the threshold. Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned against the arch and continued to watch. She hoped he'd reveal his purpose for the visit soon. She didn't want to be around him. After the warehouse, K felt uncomfortable around Klaus –even thinking about him- which she vehemently hated. She wasn't supposed to feel uncomfortable. She wasn't supposed to feel _anything_.

Eventually Klaus spun slowly on his heel to face her. Without warning, after minutes of standing in complete silence and as still as a statue, Klaus raced across the room and to her. He immediately wrapped one hand around her throat and pressed the other to her cheek so she couldn't shrug him away. K's brows came together in angry confusion and her mouth opened to speak, but Klaus beat her to it.

"You will do as I say," he commanded before she had the chance to say a word. K immediately scowled. "So long as I'm in your home."

He released her and took a step back. K continued to glare hatefully at him. After giving her ring back, K had taken to drinking vervain. It burned like fire, but it was harder to purge. The problem was she'd forgotten to take another dose. After the phantom stake hole bled and Mikael skewered her like a pig, K bled out her vervain supply. Wearing a ring with the herb for nearly all of her life, K slacked greatly when it came to the self-administered doses and was now suffering for it.

Klaus was simply taking a chance. He assumed she was smart enough to ingest it, but he'd hoped she hadn't taken another shot after being so heavily bled in the warehouse. He was right and breathed easier for it.

"The hell are you playing at?" she snapped.

"Forgive me," he said sounding anything but apologetic. "But I need answers and I can't very well trust what you plan to say at the moment." K opened her mouth, ready to speak and likely yell, but he stopped her. "Silence."

K snapped her mouth shut with a loud clack. It made Klaus's teeth ache slightly. Her glare deepened and he felt the hatred of it.

Klaus's brows began to crease and he finally let emotion touch his features. K couldn't tell which it was and she tried to ignore it the best she could. She let herself remain irritated and annoyed that he'd compelled her in the first place. It kept her from caring about whatever bothered him. Klaus looked up and saw her warranted frustration.

"I didn't have anywhere else to go." He admitted. "And you and I both know this is perhaps the only way for us to have an honest conversation with one another."

Her eyes narrowed a bit further, but she didn't speak. She wasn't _allowed_ to speak until Klaus said otherwise.

He hesitated to continue. Klaus had too many thoughts running through his mind and obviously wasn't thinking clearly otherwise he wouldn't have gone to speak to the one person who couldn't careless about him. But it was his default in many ways. K was once the person he came to when he needed to clear his head, to express things he didn't want to tell his siblings and that was what carried him to her door again. In many ways –humanity or no- K was his anchor.

"Elijah's home." he finally said after a lengthy silence. "My mother had him, though I doubt that shocks anyone. She's somehow ensured he won't wake from whatever spell she's placed him under so there's no way to determine what damage she's actually caused." He words started turning clipped and short. "Mikael's run off with his tail between his legs and while I'm more than happy to let him disappear, we both know that sadistic bastard is going to show himself at some point when it can do the most damage," the anger was growing as he paced in front of her. "And, to make things even more complicated," he spun to face her. "My father's alive." K's brows came together as she narrowed her eyes. It was clear she didn't understand. "And not Mikael either, my _real_ father, the werewolf responsible for my creation is alive and walking this Earth because Esther brought him back with her." K's eyes went wide. "It's some ploy," he pointed at her as though she was either responsible or because it helped give him focus. "It has to be. She's plotting something."

K said nothing. She simply stood there and listened –against her will- as Klaus spouted his frustrations with everything. He continued to pace for a moment before finally stopping. He turned once more to face K. His eyes darted over her before settling on her eyes.

"And then there's you." He said. K cocked a brow. That declaration could go so many ways, she found herself almost daring him to say something insulting. "Cold, emotionless and indifferent, and yet you somehow…" Her glare deepened. "You were at the warehouse, why?"

She cocked a sarcastic brow that forced Klaus to sigh his irritation with her.

"You can speak." He sighed. He knew she was simply being difficult.

"Because." Was all she gave him.

It was Klaus's turn to cock a brow. He waited for her to continue, but nothing else came. He realized quickly she planned to exploit every loophole his compulsion gave her, so he had to take them away.

"You will answer me," he told her tersely. "Fully, and with the truth. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." She growled.

"Why were you in the warehouse?"

He could see her hesitating. K chewed on the inside of her cheek like it would somehow keep the words in, but both of them knew it wouldn't.

"Because I knew you were in trouble." She grumbled under her breath.

"How?" he asked in a tone that reflected his confused expression.

She took a deep breath and sighed obnoxiously to show her dislike with the current situation.

"The night before, I woke up with a pain in my shoulder." She said begrudgingly. "When I looked, there was a hole, like I'd been stabbed, but there was nothing there."

Klaus's face dropped. He was aware there was a mild link between them, but he was surprised to see it turned physical. He knew the wound had to have been Mikael stabbing him in the shoulder with the cursed stake.

"I went to find out what the hell you were doing because obviously something was wrong, but I couldn't find you. Eventually, when I was about to go home, I felt it in my chest." The grumble left her words and soon she began to simply explain what happened. "It was so strong; it took me to my knees. I actually _felt_ the stake go through my heart. I knew something was really wrong, so I followed the pain and found you with the stake in your chest."

He didn't immediately speak. Klaus wasn't sure what to make of the situation. He was surprised the link was strong enough she was not only injured too, but managed to find him through it.

K moved uncomfortably against the wall. She tore her eyes from Klaus –a task made easier when he lost focus on her- and elected to stare at anything else. The images she'd been trying to ignore for the past three days came back full force.

When Klaus looked back up to ask another question, he noticed her odd body language. K's arms were wrapped around herself protectively which was odd, but it was the expression on her face that dominated his attention. It looked like she was in pain and her eyes were tinting pink.

"Look at me." He said simply.

Against all wishes, K's eyes slowly traveled up to meet his. He'd been right. K's eyes were glistening with gathering tears. He narrowed his eyes. He didn't understand why she was showing emotion.

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

"I'm not." She snapped under her breath.

She wasn't technically wrong. The tears hadn't fallen, but that didn't mean they wouldn't. She was on the verge.

He took a step towards her. She looked terrified of what he might do which only added another odd emotion to the list that shouldn't exist.

"Why?" he asked calmly.

"Why what?" she breathed.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm not." She asserted again.

Her brows furrowed so tightly it looked painful. Klaus only continued to examine her features. When she blinked, a tear fled each eye and slid gently down her cheeks. She was crying now.

"Why do you suddenly care?" he asked, wondering what would prompt the emotional display.

"I don't know."

"Tell me." He said shortly.

"I am." She shot back.

He could tell when she snapped at him that she didn't know why she suddenly cared about what happened to him. It was interesting and made him ask something he was surprised he had the courage and wherewithal to ask.

"Are you still in love with me?" he asked.

K bit down hard on her bottom lip to keep the answer in and it seemed to work. Her response was little more than a grunting noise, but that wasn't enough for him. Klaus closed the distance between them until his chest nearly touched hers.

"Answer me."

She bit down harder than before and made the same sound as she silently pleaded with him to stop. She moved as though she were in physical pain from nothing more than holding the answer in. His frustration grew to an unimaginable degree and while it wasn't only with K, she was the one there to take the brunt of it.

"Answer me!" Klaus bellowed.

**:)**


	28. Chapter 28

**Awe, you guys... you're all awesome. :) So very, very awesome. This ones a bit short, but I'll more than likely update another chapter after the episode airs or in the next day or so to make up for it. I hope you enjoy this chapter and the episode when it airs tonight. Thanks again you guys!**

**Chapter 28**

She bit down harder than before and made the same sound as she silently pleaded with him to stop. She moved as though she were in physical pain from nothing more than holding the answer in.

"Answer me!" Klaus bellowed.

"Yes!" she yelled back. Finally releasing her lip, Klaus noticed it quiver as she took in one shaky breath after another. She still looked like she was in pain and her voice reflected it. "Yes," she sighed. "And I wish to hell I didn't."

The surprise of her admission was short-lived and quickly snuffed out by the hurt of the rest of her sentence. Klaus took a single step back.

"I shouldn't feel anything." She continued. The tears kept coming the longer she spoke. "I don't want this. I turned this off for a reason…" her voice continued to tremble. "And it didn't work. It's not fair." She said. He could hear the anger beginning to emerge while the tears kept falling. "How can you do this to me?"

Klaus looked at her in shock.

"I've done nothing." He defended.

"You couldn't just leave well enough alone." She said. She began to find footing in her anger and it was aimed directly at Klaus. "I was fine not feeling anything, I was happy."

"You weren't happy." He shot back. Their voices began to rise slowly. Klaus had once been content to let her vent her anger, but not when she said it was better. "You couldn't have been happy. You were a bloody shell!"

"I was at peace, but you took it away!" she yelled. She began trembling again as everything she'd kept at bay and locked away came screaming back all at once. "And now… now I'll never have that again, and it's all your fault!"

"The hell are you so afraid of, hm?" he dared angrily. As easily as K could pick up on his emotions, Klaus could do the same with her so he saw what prompted her anger and remembered why she'd shut off her humanity in the first place. "What do you _possibly_ have to be scared of?"

"Scared?" she scoffed derisively. "I'm not scared, I'm _petrified_. That's what loving you does and _that's_ why I had to turn it off."

Klaus was disarmed and she could see it.

"I'll never have peace now." Her voice had lost almost all of its intensity and dropped in volume. She had reverted to simply speaking again, not yelling, not screaming, just talking with a shaky, tear-filled voice. "You and I… we can never be happy. We can _never_ be normal." Klaus's jaw tensed painfully and his stare turned cold. "There will always be something, someone, trying to kill you and it only takes once for them to succeed."

Klaus didn't immediately speak. He only stared at her, replaying her words over and over and could only come to one conclusion.

"Are you saying," the words were as tense and hard as his expression. "That you'd consider that insane woman's proposal, that you'd rather let her turn you human just for a regular life?" his voice slowly began to rise in volume. "Are you saying you'd have her turn us _all_ human just so you could have some chance at normalcy?!"

"No!" she yelled back just as loudly. "I'd never take anything that psychotic woman would offer. But I'm not wrong and you know it. Look at all the enemies you've made. Look at the past year, five years, decade," she was struggling to make him see why she was so frightened. "How much of that was peaceful versus struggling to defend yourselves, or some act of tyranny? How much of that was you and your family honestly enjoying life?"

"You're one to talk." He said causing K to raise a brow. "How much of your life was spent fighting and running?"

"That's not even close to the same thing." She defended. "First of all, those weren't fights we started and secondly, once humanity evened back out and became more civilized, I was able to have a real life."

Klaus's stance shifted slightly. Like before, a simple phrase seemed to be the only part of her declarations that stuck in his mind.

"And that's something you'd never have otherwise," he said. Klaus's voice dropped significantly. "A real life."

He may have said it in the most roundabout way, but K knew the meaning between his words. Without saying it directly, Klaus was asking if K thought she'd never have a real life with him and she was aware of it which made her answer all the more difficult to give.

"Yes."

His brows twitched just enough anyone else might not have noticed, but she did and it hurt her chest to see.

"I love you, Niklaus." She said so softly he almost didn't hear her. "And it scares the shit out of me. If you actually died…" her head fell as she shook it, trying to remove the ever present images from it and to avoid meeting his gaze when she admitted something she didn't want to. "I don't think I'd survive it."

A tense silence moved into the room again. Neither said anything as they absorbed everything that had been said already. K refused to look up and meet Klaus's eye. She wasn't sure she really had the courage do it. She knew she'd either see nothing, remorse or some kind of relief reflected back at her and none of them was something she wanted to see. With the emotions swirling inside her and struggling to find their proper place, she didn't want to add to them.

"Quite literally," Klaus said after a few minutes of nothing. "I'm afraid."

A weak laugh escaped K before she could keep it back. But Klaus wasn't wrong. If he did somehow die, she wouldn't be far behind, but both knew that wasn't what she originally meant.

The silence came again. It lasted longer than the others thus far. Klaus felt like he wanted to ask her more, and knew he'd likely only have this chance, but he had trouble finding a single question to present her with. K on the other hand just wanted the situation to end. She didn't like not having control over her body or that she was going through withdrawal. She wanted the brief peace only Klaus's leaving would give, but at the same time she no longer wanted him to go either.

"Now what?" K asked when she found the courage to speak. She looked up to see Klaus mimicking her leaned position against the adjacent side of the arch.

He had no idea how to initially answer the simple question, because the answer was anything but. He had so many things to deal with, people and possible threats, that Klaus was having trouble pinpointing one single thing. His brain was focused on forming plans that needed time which meant the present suffered for it and that's what K was asking about.

"Come home with me." He finally offered. K's face immediately fell and her brows came together. He didn't know why. "You don't wish to return to the manor?"

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" she asked a bit sarcastically. She was irritated and he didn't immediately understand. K noticed his odd expression. "So long as you're here, I don't have a choice with anything, do I?"

Klaus sighed and nodded. He'd forgotten he told her she had to obey everything he said so long as he was inside her home.

"Apologies," he said. "Would you like to come home with me?"

"No." she answered simply. Klaus flinched. He knew it was the truth because she had no choice in that either.

"Why?" he asked before he could stop himself.

K's immediate reaction was to shrug. She didn't know why she didn't want to go back to her old room, she just didn't.

"I think," K hesitated briefly. "I think whatever we're doing, whatever this-" she pointed at the pair of them to illustrate what she meant. "Is happening a little fast."

Klaus's face dropped. He found her statement harder to swallow than anything else that had been said so far.

"A bit… fast." He seemed to struggle with the phrase because it was so strange. "Are you joking?"

"No." K replied. She had no choice but to answer his questions, even if they were rhetorical. "I'm serious."

He scoffed under his breath. "The months you've spent away don't seem to have worked."

She eyed him sternly. She remembered very clearly that he initially mocked her for not returning to New Orleans immediately because, as he put it, she had to _find herself_. It was stupid then, but irritating now.

"You just want everyone under one roof so you can keep your eyes on them, don't you?" she dared. "Are you still that big of a control freak?"

"With Mikael on the loose and my mother-"

"No," she interrupted. "You don't get to use them as an excuse. I'm just as safe here as I would be there and you know it. You just can't stand not having me under your thumb."

"Under thumb?" he repeated tersely. "Is that what you think?"

"No, I think you're too afraid to let anyone out of your sight because you're worried they'll leave you, so you force them to stay where you can see them." She answered before she could stop herself. The moment the words finished flowing, her eyes went wide. "Shit…"

"Is that what you think?" he asked, miming her stunned expression.

"Yes." She admitted. "Damn it! Take this compulsion back."

"No." he answered flatly. "You clearly have more to say than I thought. Please, feel free to tell me more about my shortcomings."

He was being sarcastic, but he'd compelled her to be honest and answer him fully. She gave him a brief pained expression before the words came spilling out.

"You're arrogant, brash, short-sighted, fueled by rage and hatred," she began, stunning Klaus by the sheer amount of personality flaws she thought he had. "You refuse to listen to reason when you think you're right, which is most of the time. Your defaults are cruelty, violence and pain and you'd rather spend the rest of your life seeking revenge than to simply let something go in favor of having a real life."

Klaus didn't speak. He didn't know what to say. K had pointed out every character flaw he thought humanly possible for an individual to have and did it so freely he was at a loss of words.

"Anything else?" he asked under his breath.

She could tell by looking at him Klaus was either hurt by her words or simply amazed she had so much to say. It made her feel a little bad, but it was the truth and how she felt.

"You've been like that as long as I've known you. You can't act like you didn't somehow already know it." She told him bluntly. "That being said," she began when she noticed a vacant look take hold of his eyes. "I don't plan on going anywhere. Just because I don't want to go back to the compound doesn't mean I'm leaving New Orleans." He relaxed a bit. It was amazing a man could do so little and yet each micro expression resonated with her like if he'd verbally responded. "I like my new place and honestly, I have my own score to settle with your parents."

"Such as?" he asked curiously.

"Your mother made me doubt everything I've ever known about myself." She said bitterly. "And Mikael called me a whore."

Klaus didn't seem to like that bit of information which she expected. He seemed oddly protective of her even after everything they'd gone through with each other.

"I can live on my own for a little while." She finished.

"You hardly seem to have a knack for it." Klaus replied, obviously referencing her time in Mystic Falls.

"Really?" she asked sarcastically. "You're going to be an asshole right now?"

He looked up at her through his lashes and let a smirk touch his lips. If he wasn't so irritating, it would have been slightly seductive.

"So," he took a sigh and stood upright to better look at her. "Is that what you want, to live here on your own?"

"Yes," she nodded. "For now at least. What's the worst that could happen?" she asked with a smile.

Klaus's expression turned exasperated which she found a bit amusing. But as he stood there, watching her smile, he saw the hint of K come through. It was the spark in her green eyes that let him know if she wasn't back completely, she was on her way and it was a relieving thing to see.

"Well then," he said with a sigh as he heaved himself off the wall. Klaus took the few shorts steps needed to reach her. "I'll leave you to the rest of your night."

K nodded and met him in stride so she was no longer standing against the wall. Both hesitated to do much of anything else despite both wanting to. The moment was a bit awkward considering what had transpired between them a few days prior, but to their shock K reacted first.

She reached forward and grabbed a bit of Klaus's shirt. She tugged, guiding him forward just enough she could wrap her arms around his chest. K hugged him loosely at first. Eventually, Klaus laced his arms around her shoulders and returned the affection, even going so far as to rest his cheek against the top of her head. They stayed that way for awhile, content and comfortable for the first time in a few days.

Finally, K spoke. "I'm sorry your mom's such a bitch and your family is so dysfunctional." She mumbled into his shirt.

Klaus laughed before he could stop himself. The statement could have easily been a joke which made him smile, but the fact she was compelled to tell the truth made him laugh. It was how she really felt about his family and she was sorry for it. It somehow added just enough levity he laughed.

"Yes well," he mused as they parted slightly. "You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who'll disagree with you. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if there weren't skeletons even _we_ don't know about lingering in a closet some where."

As he stared down at her, Klaus reached up and threaded a bit of her hair behind her ear. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead tenderly before they parted again.

"The door is always open," he told her. "Should you wish to return."

K smiled warmly and nodded. The pair stepped away from each other and Klaus moved towards the door. She walked him out.

"Likewise." K said when he opened the door and stepped onto the porch. Klaus turned to her with a curious expression. "In case you ever get tired of having a full house."

A small smile tugged at his lips. He gave her a light nod before starting down the front stairs. With a light step, Klaus walked to her front gate. He stepped through it, made sure it was latched behind him and with a final glance to K, disappeared from sight quickly.

The moment he was gone, coldness took K's chest again. She didn't know where the sensation came from only that it was there. It made her shoulders shudder. She stepped back inside quickly as though whatever was causing the feeling could see her from the darkness.

Something worse was coming…


	29. Chapter 29

**A lil short too, but the next one will be longer. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 29**

The sun shown brightly as K walked through the Quarter. The warmth of it was welcomed though she wasn't sure why it seemed so much better that day than any other. Whatever the reason, she enjoyed it.

The bags in her hands were filled with the supplies she needed to witch/wolf/vampire proof her house. With all manner of nasty beasties making their way through the city and all well aware of her connection to the prominent Original family, K knew she had to safeguard herself. And while the simple trick would do little in the way of keeping a witch as seasoned as Esther out, it would force her to pause which could give K the precious seconds she'd need to escape. Running wasn't exactly a _dignified_ way to handle the problem, but she was more susceptible to things like death than the others. She might try and frontal assault against the witch, but she didn't put it passed Esther to sneak into her home while she was sleeping and being on the defense was no way to fight.

K was ready to step inside the last voodoo shop on her list to find the Devil's Shoestrings she needed when she was spotted. She didn't know it, but the one in the crowd very much wanted to speak to the vampire and quickly followed her into the shop.

Most of the voodoo shops in the Quarter had been taken over by the few witches who remained. A lot of them were family run, but when Marcel had taken over management changed. Now that he was gone and everything but vampires were welcomed back, the witches came again. To K's relief, the one behind the counter was a simple human. The three previous shops she'd gone to were run by people more than aware of what she was and if she hadn't made substantial purchases, she was fairly certain the witches would have attacked.

As it was, she was comfortable in the little hole-in-the-wall store and knew what she needed. The bell above the door chimed behind her, but K didn't notice or care. She was busy sifting through the rows of herbs and curios on the far wall. The blond who'd followed her in found the vampire quickly and approached, but hesitated to say anything.

"Kalli," she finally said a few minutes after emerging. K turned when her name was spoken and was surprised to see Cami being the one to say it. "Hey."

"Hi." K responded. She couldn't hide her surprise or the awkwardness she felt when she realized Cami had bypassed everything in the store in order to speak with her. "Uh… is there something you need?"

Cami wasn't offended by the question or that K turned back to the wall after she spoke it. The sentence was void most of the animosity and anger K harbored when she spoke to the human, so Cami knew she wasn't trying to start a fight.

"I was just wondering how you were doing." She said in the same uncomfortable tone. "After the warehouse."

Cami had spotted K in the Quarter when she came out of her session with Victor… Finn… whatever the hell that man's name was, and she wanted to talk to her. After hearing Klaus vent about how empty and cold K was and seeing her react so violently when she thought Klaus was dead, Cami was curious about K. She wanted to see if she'd been right and somehow K's emotions were intact.

"Fine." K replied.

Her eyes continued to dart around the herbs until finding the one she wanted. Setting down her bags, K reached for one of the small paper bags kept near the herbs and opened it. With her free hand, she removed the lid of the glass jar and took out a bundle of the herbs.

"Devil's Shoestrings?" Cami read on the label as K replaced the jar's lid.

"For protection." K explained. When she turned she was somehow still surprised Cami was behind her. "Was there something else?"

Again she wasn't rude, but Cami found it difficult to continue a conversation with a woman she didn't know at all. K stepped around her and moved towards the register with her things.

"Is that for Klaus or something?" she asked. Cami felt like she had to pad the conversation with useless small-talk in order to make it less awkward. It didn't work.

"No," K replied. She could feel the discomfort as clearly as Cami. "It's for me."

The cashier placed the herb on the small scale which made no sense. Devil's Shoestring was sold by the bundle, a fact she seemed to realize when K pointed out there were two bundles in the bag. The cashier quickly began to type up the cost.

"Why?" Cami pressed.

K bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't want to be rude to the blond, but Cami was making it difficult.

"Because," she said after trying to remove the annoyed tone from her voice. "People like me," she said in lieu of vampire. "Anyone can just walk into our houses. The same rules don't apply for us like they do people like you."

Cami nodded her mild understanding. She knew vampires had to be invited in to a living being's home. It made sense the same rule didn't apply to them since a vampire wasn't technically alive.

When K paid for her purchase, she stepped around Cami and headed for the front door with the blond still in toe. Cami wasn't sure why she was still bothering K. She chalked it up to scientific curiosity.

"So," Cami began as they emerged on the streets. "This doesn't have to do with his brother being back?"

K immediately stopped. Cami noticed every single muscle in her body go rigid. With the same stilted form, K turned a stern, unreadable eye to the blond.

"What?" she asked so tightly it sounded like it hurt.

"Klaus's brother…" Cami said. "Marcel said Esther brought one of his brothers back, maybe the other one too, I don't know."

K took fast steps forward. Her heel slammed into the concrete so hard Cami felt it vibrate through her feet until she closed the distance between them.

"_Which_ brother?" K pressed. Her voice crackled deep in her throat like the evil inside was trying to come out.

"Finn…" Cami stammered. K's face went pale. "His brother Finn."

Before Cami could blink K was gone. She'd woven through the crowd and disappeared without touching a single shoulder which Cami honestly thought was a bit impressive, but it didn't hold her attention for long. Cami saw fear in K's eyes and the only reason she knew it was fear was because she'd seen the same thing when K found Klaus staked.

Her brows came together as she replayed K's reaction in her mind. K was afraid of Finn… but she ran after Mikael –the would-be killer of them all- without a second thought? Was there something Cami needed to know about the Mikaelson she'd chosen to cozy up to?

~!~

"Klaus!" K's voice echoed through every hall as she slid to a stop in the center of the compound's courtyard. "Niklaus! Where are you?!"

"Calm yourself," she heard him say. His voice touched her ears before he emerged on the third floor above her. "What the hell are you doing rushing in here, bellowing like that, this early in the morning?"

"Is it true?" the panic she felt touched every syllable. Klaus slowly began to descend the stairs to meet her. "Is it?!"

"Is what true? What are you talking about?"

"Finn!" she snapped. Klaus –who'd made it to the final step on the long staircase- paused immediately. "Is he back?"

Klaus chewed on the inside of his cheek. He regained his bearings and continued his advance until reaching her.

"Where did you-"

"Cami!" she interrupted sternly. "She said Finn's _back._ How's that possible? He burned. He was stabbed with the stake and he burned. How's he back?"

She spoke so quickly it took someone who knew how to understand her to hear the words that flowed so easily.

"Shh," he said as soothingly as he could. Klaus reached out and pulled her into a hug. He should have known she'd find out at some point, but it annoyed him Cami was the one to let the cat out of the bag. As he stroked the back of her head, he confirmed what she never wanted to hear. "Yes, it's true."

K shoved him away sharply, forcing Klaus to let her go. She stared hatefully at him.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" she demanded angrily. When he didn't immediately speak, she shoved his chest again forcing Klaus to take a step back and bite his tongue. "Why?!"

"Because," he sighed. "I knew this was how you'd react."

"You didn't think I deserved to know that sick bastard was alive again?" she growled. "That's wasn't your choice to make. You should've told me the second you found out!" she paused for a moment and narrowed her eye on him. "_When_ did you find out?"

"When Esther invited herself to dinner." He answered begrudgingly. K's brows climbed high on her forehead. "He accompanied her."

"He was _here_?"

"Yes." He nodded.

Before she could stop herself or think better of what she was doing, K reared back and brought her open palm violently across Klaus's face. The snap of her slap echoed loudly and sounded more like a crack of thunder than anything else. It caused those who'd gathered to wince and feel phantom pain on Klaus's behalf. The hybrid however, did and said nothing. Instead, he slowly shifted to look her in the eye again.

"After everything, _everything_ he did to me and you don't tell me he's walking through these halls?" she couldn't hide her anger or the betrayal she felt at being left in the dark about Finn's resurrection. "How's that even possible? He burned. There should have been nothing left."

"He's not in his body." Klaus said. He wisely moved passed K's rather violent reaction to his previous news. "Esther's saw fit to grant him a new one, one with a _magical touch_ as it turns out."

"She put him in a witch body?"

"Kol too as it turns out."

"Oh my god…" K ran her fingers through her hair and turned her back to Klaus as she struggled to come to terms with what she was hearing. Eventually, she faced him again. "Esther, Mikael, your father, Finn and Kol… all of them are back."

"So it would seem." He sighed.

"You people are harder to kill than cockroaches."

Klaus let a small, almost unnoticeable smile touch his lips. But K didn't find it amusing. She might not have looked as terrified as she was before, but she was clearly angry. She took a few small steps towards him.

"I had the right to know he was alive, Klaus." K told him sternly. "I had the right to know the second you found out."

"I know." He admitted which she found interesting. "But you can understand my desire to keep this from your for as long as possible."

"It doesn't matter." She was unwilling to see his decision as anything more than a betrayal.

Before saying something he knew might anger her further, Klaus noticed the audience around them and elected instead to speak in a language only the two of them knew.

"_I wanted to keep you from him as long as possible."_ He told her in her old tongue.

She bite her bottom lip and chewed on it briefly. While his intentions may have been noble, K didn't see them like that, at least not yet. She was still too flustered and angry.

"I don't need your protection." She said plainly.

K turned and without another word left. She scooped up her bags from where she dropped them near the front door and continued on without a glance over her shoulder. While she might very well be right in the assertion she didn't need Klaus's protection anymore, he didn't care. He failed once to keep her safe from Finn and saw the damage left behind as a result. If keeping her from knowing his brother was alive again was what it took to ensure her safety this time, he gladly did so and would endure her rage for however long it lasted. He'd rather her be angry with him than dead.

Among those who'd gathered to watch the fight was the only other hybrid in the house. Hayley was surprised to see K and even more so to see her so obviously embracing what she supposedly turned off a week prior. It gave her an idea and one she was more than happy to investigate while Klaus was busy tending to Elijah's needs.

~!~

K was in her kitchen with a large pot in front of her sitting on the kitchen table. She'd already dumped a few pounds of salt into it and now she had to mix it with the herbs she'd purchased. As she unwrapped the bundles of herbs, there was a knock on her door. K paused and waited. When another knock sounded, she figured she might as well see who was interrupting her morning.

To her surprise, Hayley was the culprit. K cocked a brow to the hybrid out of mild annoyance.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Morning to you too." Hayley replied with a hint of sarcasm. "We need to talk."

"About what?" K asked shortly. Their meetings had been nothing but contentious since K had come back to New Orleans so she doubted she wanted to hear anything the hybrid had to say.

To her surprise, a wicked smirk soon donned the young woman's lips.

"Want to go on a witch hunt?"

K cocked a brow again. It was an interesting proposition and one she felt she could at least listen to. To Hayley's surprise, K stepped to the side and let the door swing open. She turned and walked back into her home leaving Hayley to close the door behind her.

Hayley accepted the silent invitation into the house and followed K into the kitchen after closing the front door. She was surprised to see what K was doing. With a table filled with dried herbs and flowers and a giant stew pot filled with salt, it was obvious k was planning something.

"What's all this about?" she asked as K lifted a bundle of herbs and held it over the pot.

"For protection." She explained. K crumple the herbs in her hands and let them fall into the salt before repeating the process with each pile on the table. "Vampires can't own property, not really at least, so this helps me keep the undesirables out."

"It work?" Hayley asked as she slid into a seat at the table.

"So far. All I have to do is sprinkle this around doorjambs and windowsills and it'll keep out people I don't want coming in."

"Like werewolves and other vampires."

"And hopefully witches too." K replied. She crumbled the last herb into the salt. Swatting off the residue, she stepped sideways to her countertop and snatched a wooden spoon. She used it to begin mixing everything. "So, who's the witch you plan to hunt?"

"Finn." She said easily. Hayley heard the spoon's shaft splinter when K's grip tightened. "Interested?"

K looked sideways at her. "Klaus okay with this?"

"He doesn't know. He's busy looking for some orchid root to heal Elijah."

K nodded primarily to herself as she continued to blend her 'spell work'. She mulled over whether or not she wanted a piece of Finn and she did, she really, really did, but she didn't know if it was the smartest thing to do.

"Why go after Finn?"

"Because he's helping control the werewolves with Esther."

"So you're hoping to _free your people_ with one less witch around?"

"Something like that." Hayley mumbled. "Look, you want to help out or not? I figured with your unnatural hatred of the guy-"

This time the spoon broke. K shot Hayley an angry stare.

"It's not unnatural." She snapped sternly. "That twisted…" K stopped herself from divulging more than she wanted to. Instead she took a deep breath to calm herself. "Fine. I'll help."

Hayley nodded. She figured that if there was a way to extend an olive branch with K, perhaps killing one of the Mikaelson brothers was it.


	30. Chapter 30

**I hoe you guys like it! Let me know and enjoy! **

**Chapter 30**

The small group of mismatched misfits sat or stood around Marcel's apartment. The man himself lingered in the background making drinks for those who wanted one. Josh sat on the couch next to some werewolf K had never met, Hayley was on the floor and Cami was evidently bringing something by. K was pacing just outside their little circle wth his arms crossed lazily over her chest. She was busy in thought, wondering what she could do to Finn to show just how much he terrorized her. She'd have to be careful though, he was mortal.

Marcel approached the distant young woman and offered her a drink. It brought K out of her thoughts for a moment. She nodded her thanks and went back to pacing as the others came up with a plan to isolate Finn.

"Good." Hayley said. "It'll give me a chance to rip Vincent's head off."

"Nah, he'll just body jump." Marcel replied.

"And he's not yours to fight." K said. It was the first time she'd spoken aloud since arriving so the odd action drew eyes. She stared at them blankly. "We have history." She added cryptically.

"He keeps his head." Cami's voice sounded a millisecond before she appeared with a hefty box in her arms. "It'll be hard for him to answer questions without it."

"Oh look, a box of dusty old junk…" Josh muttered sarcastically. "We're saved…"

"They're Dark Objects." Cami smiled softly. "I've been going through Kieran's notes and best as I can tell, these one's will work on witches specifically."

Marcel reached into the box and gripped the end of a long string of chains bookended with shackles. K cocked a brow.

"Kinky." Hayley teased.

"Oh, I remember these." Marcel said.

K's eyes darted to him and smirk began to form.

"Bit of a past you have there, hm little brother."

Marcel rolled his eyes, but found himself smiling regardless. He shook his head to answer her question.

"A hundred years ago, the Human Faction waged war against the Voodoo Queens." He explained. "They had a traitor spell these manacles. You slap them on a witch and they can't do manage so long as their on."

"Cool, but we're not going to be able to get the handcuffs of doom on him while he's surrounded by a werewolf entourage."

"Just lure them away." The other werewolf in the room suggested. K honestly didn't know his name. Perhaps she should listen the next time someone was introduced…

"Cami," Hayley said from her spot on the ground. The blond met her eye. "You do realize that when we do this, you're the bait. Are you going to be okay with that?"

Cami hesitated to say anything or meet their eyes. She could feel everyone staring at her waiting for an answer, but she had to put on a brave face first. She had to take the tremble out of her voice before she said anything or they'd know how terrified she really was.

"Just be sure to make it look good." She said as strongly as she could when she spoke to Hayley. "He's really smart."

To her surprise, Cami could see K over the hybrid's shoulder and noticed the vampire roll her eyes. It didn't look like the same kind of disapproval she'd grown accustomed to seeing coming from K. It looked like something else.

A more finite plan was being put into place, details hashed out and strategy rehearsed until it was second nature. K kept her ears open to it all, but she wanted nothing more than to share a few torture techniques she'd learned through the years with Finn. She refused to let the fear he once instilled on her take over again. She refused to waver. She wanted her revenge.

Cami noticed the intense look on K's face and when everything was laid out, she decided she wanted to talk to the vampire.

K took another sip of her bourbon when she was approached by Cami. She looked over the edge of the glass to the blond, but said nothing.

The pair had never really been on stable terms with one another. Cami always rubbed K the wrong way and in return it put the blond on the offensive which only pissed K off more. Still, that didn't mean K couldn't be polite. After all, it was difficult to be rude when you just didn't speak… or something like that.

"Can I ask you something?" Cami asked apprehensively. She was as aware of her rocky relationship with the vampire as K was. K didn't speak, but gave Cami the slightest nod. "Did something happen, between you and Finn?"

K's face turned dark immediately. Cami felt her heart beat faster in her chest, but didn't immediately react. She didn't know if the darkness was because Cami asked, or because Finn's name was mentioned. Whatever the reason, she decided to tread lightly.

"Nothing good." K replied after a moment or two of calming herself enough to speak.

Cami's brows came together.

"Like what?" she pressed. K didn't answer and didn't give any indication that she planned to. "Look, I just want to know what I'm getting myself into."

K's face relaxed only slightly. She felt a bit bad for the young woman going in to the heart of the storm with little to no information about who Finn really was, but K knew it wouldn't help. Not really at least.

"Honestly," K finally said. Cami nodded when K didn't immediately continue. "My time around Finn was complicated. I think he's nothing more than an angry, volatile, violent and sadistic bastard who hides behind excuses for what he does. Be careful."

And she left without bothering to elaborate. Although, Cami wasn't certain she wanted K to go deeper into detail.

~!~

"Camille!" Finn's new voice bellowed through the halls of Saint Anne's Church, but being new didn't make it stop K's skin from crawling.

Hidden in the upper levels of the church, K waited for when she was meant to emerge. The sound of fighting was evident to anyone who could hear, not just her, and it made her fingers tingle. K had to keep herself preoccupied. She kept her eyes shut and had no choice but to clench her fists, relax her hands and then repeat the action over and over again as she waited for her turn.

The air around her suddenly shifted. K's eyes shot open and she saw the source only a few feet from her. She knew her face was twisted into confusion.

"Jackson?" she whispered with a hiss.

The Alpha spun and drew an arrow only to find the source of the voice was K. He hadn't seen her nestled in the shadows to his right. He relaxed marginally.

"The hell are you doing here?" she asked as she slinked closer.

"Tryin' to help, I guess." He replied in his deep, grumbling voice. "You?"

"Revenge." She said honestly.

A weak smile twitched across his lips, but disappeared quickly. Before either could say another word, Hayley began to scream. Their eyes shot to the scene below. They watched briefly in horror as Finn tried to rip Hayley's heart out of her chest with magic.

Both moved to help her. K was faster and sailed towards the ground. She grabbed Finn from behind. Lacing her arms beneath his, she pulled them back so he couldn't move and spun their bodies towards the balcony. Hayley barely managed to look up through her hair as a volley of arrows sailed through the air towards Finn.

One glided effortlessly through his leg and another through his shoulder. K barely managed to avoid that particular arrow. It still pierced her leather jacket straight through the shoulder and came out the other side. She felt the shaft of the arrow resting against her skin and it forced her to glare at the wolf who leapt dramatically over the edge of the balcony.

"Sorry." He told her flatly.

She openly rolled her eyes. With a sharp blow to the back of Finn's head, he went limp in her arms. K didn't have the patience to hold him and let him fall heavily to the ground with a satisfying crack as his head bounced off the hardwood.

The arrow stayed with her. Its pointed hook tip caught her jacket and braced itself to slide through Finn's shoulder and remain with her. She snapped off the shaft and slipped it back through the new hole.

"Next time," she said as she held the arrow. "Watch the aim, okay Robin Hood?"

Jackson tended to Hayley while Cami emerged and clamped the shackles around Finn's wrists before he could wake up. She didn't realize K had hit him pretty hard. She was hoping for a bit of brain damage, but knew it was little more than a mild concussion.

"Now then, what to do, what to do…"

The way K spoke led the others in the room to realize she had very specific ideas for what she wanted to do to Finn. Hayley's back tightened and when she turned around to see the expression on K's face, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

"K," Hayley said. Jackson helped her to her feet and she turned towards the vampire. "Thanks, but I think we can take it from here."

K's eyes slowly traveled up to meet Hayley's.

"Oh I don't think so. This one's mine." She said darkly. K was beginning to sound like another person. Her voice was taking on an inhuman tone and it worried Hayley.

"We're taking his back to the compound." She asserted.

"Oh I know," she replied. "But not in one piece."

Hayley and the others weren't sure what else they could say. They knew they had to keep K from harming Finn, but she was so much stronger than all of them and seemed to be brimming with enough hatred her strength could easily double.

K knelt down and picked the limp witch up. She threw him over her shoulders and was ready to leave. She didn't look like she planned on even telling the others what she was going to do to Finn, or that she was concerned with them in the least. Hayley had been around K enough since the vampire's return to New Orleans to realize that she had to stop her quickly. But again, she not only had seconds to react, but was also outmatched greatly in ways of strength and speed.

Hayley reacted quickly and knew she was going to pay for the decision later. She raced forward, wrapped her hands around K's head and snapped her neck before the vampire could do anything about it. K crumbled to the ground with Finn on top of her and lay motionless. Jackson looked as though he expected the action, but Cami was horrified.

"Oh my god…" she gasped at the sight.

"Yeah…" Hayley sighed. "She's going to be so pissed when she wakes up."

"You did what you had to do to keep her from killing him, right?" Jackson asked. Hayley nodded. "Then it's fine."

Hayley scoffed before she could stop herself and shook her head.

"No, K's pretty much going to kill me now." She said. "Come on. Let's get them in the car."

~!~

Klaus couldn't keep the smile from his lips as he stared at the two siblings –once dead- now shackled to his stairs. It seemed too happy a sight to not enjoy.

"Well then, where should we begin?" he asked with the wide grin.

"Um," Hayley chimed loudly to draw his attention before anything got too bloody or too out of hand. Klaus shifted his stance enough he could look at her. "There's something else too."

"Another surprise?"

"Kind of…" she mumbled. "K's in the car too." Klaus's brows came together in confusion. "She helped us." One brow began to rise. "And I had to break her neck." Both brows rose and Finn let out a boisterous laugh. Hayley's jaw tensed. She shot him an angry stare. "To keep her from slaughtering Finn."

While the laughing stopped, his smile remained. Finn decided to stay defiant even though he'd come so close to death. Hayley eventually looked back to the angry Klaus.

"She'll probably wake up soon."

"And she's going to be rather upset with you, little wolf." He said simply. "Where is she?"

"In the front seat of the car." She said, pointing over her shoulder towards the place she'd parked it.

Klaus left to retrieve K. He knew she was going to be more than angry when she woke to find out Hayley was the reason she'd been put to sleep. He'd have to keep her from immediately harming Hayley.

When he made it to the car, he found K slumped in the front passenger seat of the small vehicle. He was surprised, but glad to see Hayley or someone made sure she was latched in with a seatbelt. Gently, Klaus reached in and undid the belt. He laced his arms beneath her body and tenderly pulled her out of the seat. Klaus cradled her in a bridal hold as he stepped away from the vehicle. When he had the room, he laid her back down on the ground. With a bite to his wrist, he fed her a bit of his blood so she could heal faster from the break.

A few moments passed. The wound on his wrist had long since healed, but so did K's broken neck. Finally, she lurched up with a gasping breath and woke completely. Klaus –who'd admittedly been hovering a bit while she slept- leaned back and let her move as she would have naturally so he could avoid being hit in the face. When she relaxed, she noticed the man whose lap she was resting in. She seemed mildly confused.

"What happened?" she asked. With Klaus's help, she stood on her own two feet.

"That's not important." He said casually. Klaus didn't want another fight between the two women. "Come along."

K stepped with Klaus until she remembered what she'd been doing just before everything went black. She froze immediately.

"Where's Finn?" she asked tersely.

Klaus didn't offer an answer. He weighed his options. He knew she'd find out –especially with him chained in the manor- but he also knew K's intense hatred of his older brother. Still, Klaus didn't want to lie to her again.

"The ballroom." He answered begrudgingly.

As he expected, K disappeared within the blink of an eye. Klaus sighed and followed after her quickly before something bad happened.

K raced through the house easily. She finally found the ballroom and came to a halt in front of the two brothers. She knew who Finn was and assumed the young one of the right was Kol. She didn't care about Kol.

A wicked smirk crossed Finn's new lips.

"Well, well, well," he chimed slimily. "If it isn't the little house girl."

K's face twisted into the purest, ugliest rage. Her features darkened and seemed to have trouble finding a middle ground. They shifted between vampire and human, never finding footing in one or the other. Finally, it did. The vampire won.

K hissed hatefully at Finn and launched herself towards him the same instant Klaus made it to the ballroom. He put himself between her and his brother. K slammed into his unmovable body and struggled to get around him, but Klaus wouldn't let her.

"Bloody hell…" Kol muttered. He was stunned to see her so enraged and while Finn was too, he was more than willing to keep it buried.

"Enough, Kali." Klaus growled through clenched teeth as he tried to keep the woman who was barely younger than him at bay. "Let him be."

"You should listen to your _master_, child." Finn taunted from behind.

K let out a bone chilling hiss that forced even Finn's bravado to falter. And when she spoke, she couldn't even manage English. Instead what came out was a language all the Mikaelson children understood, one they grew up with and one that was twisted with her rage.

"_I will grind your bones to dust in your body."_ Each syllable cracked like smoldering wood on a fire. It forced even Klaus to fight a shudder. _"And then peel off your skin while you watch."_

No one spoke. A pin could have dropped and it would have echoed loudly to them all.

"Not at this moment, you won't." Klaus replied simply. He hooked his arms under hers and lifted K off her feet. She struggled against him, but he was smart enough to deny her anything that would give her proper footing so she could attack Finn again.

It took more effort than he cared to admit for Klaus to get K out of the ballroom and somewhere she couldn't see his brother. Kicking the door to the study shut behind them, Klaus finally let her go. K huffed and seethed. She cursed under her breath and paced in the middle of the room like a caged animal. Klaus recognized the behavior easily. He'd experienced it himself on more than one occasion.

"You need to calm yourself."

She spun on her heel.

"How can you say that to me? After everything that bastard did to me, how can you tell me to calm down while he's still alive?"

"Because you are being erratic." He said sternly.

"You're god damn right I'm erratic." She took steps towards him. "You of all people know what he did to me. You were _there_. You cleaned up the mess afterwards."

His jaw tensed and he struggled to keep his eyes on hers as the memories returned.

"I am aware."

"Are you?" she snapped. "Because you don't seem to give a shit."

His eyes found hers with laser precision. They didn't dart, or falter in the least once he met her gaze. His face was stern and blank with every line exaggerated.

"Those events are burned into my memory." He said through a tight jaw. "Don't you dare presume I've forgotten."

"And yet," K wasn't swayed in the least by his shift in attitude. "You're keeping me from him. Somehow _you're_ needs outweigh mine. What makes your plans so much more important?" she dared. "Any other time, you'd take your revenge no matter who or what was in your way," her voice began to grow in volume. "So why the hell can you do it and I can't? Why not me?!"

Silence moved into the room and made the air thick and heavy. The two stared unblinkingly at one another, waiting and almost daring the other to continue. Klaus couldn't deny she had a point. He knew she wanted and deserved her revenge. She deserved to hurt the one who made her fear every moment of her life for nearly a year after the fact. He made her tremble at nothing ore than the mention of his name. If it wasn't K, Klaus would have respected Finn for that fact. As it was, he hated his brother for it and while he wanted to give her what she wanted, Klaus didn't trust K to stop herself. He didn't trust her not to kill Finn before he was able to get as much information about Esther's plans as he could.

"I need him al-"

"_You _need." K interrupted. "It's always about you, Niklaus, isn't it? Everyone else be damned. It's whatever Niklaus needs."

His jaw tensed again as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. K was seething with such rage; she didn't even want to be in the same room as him. Growling under her breath, K stepped around Klaus. She was content to leave the grounds entirely just to get away from the frustration and anger she felt.

"Kali," he called when she reached the door. She paused as he turned to face her. "I need Finn alive." He saw her shoulders tense and her body become rigid. "I never said we couldn't come to an agreement."

When she turned, he could see nothing but confusion reflected back. It made him smile. With his hands behind his back, Klaus stepped towards her. When he reached her, Klaus brought his hand up and gently touched her cheek. Her features still hadn't relaxed as she looked up at him.

Klaus cupped her cheek and rubbed her skin with his thumb endearingly. His smile slowly faded when he met her eyes. His mind flashed with images of her from the past. He could see her staring up at him with the purest fear imaginable, blood saturating the bed beneath her, her body broken and the life leaving her eyes. All of the damage was at the hands of the brother he needed to talk, but needed alive as well.

"I'll never forget the pain Finn caused you." He told her simply. "Or the fear left in his wake, but I need to know my mother's plans. So I am torn between giving you the revenge you desperately deserve, and my own needs." He paused for a moment and lowered his hand again. "I cannot let you near him unless you can promise me he'll remain alive."

"What?" she wasn't sure how she managed to speak, but she was grateful for it.

"Give me your word you won't kill him."

Understanding slowly began to take hold and the confused expression faded. K began to nod.

"I promise." She told him.

Klaus soft, endearing smile returned again. He leaned forward and placed a delicate smile on her forehead.

"Happy hunting, sydämeni." He whispered when he pulled away. He felt the air sway and K slip from his fingertips before he even managed to stand upright again.

When he had, the door swung gently on its hinges and his smile faded. Klaus wondered if he was giving her what she wanted too soon. He feared she wouldn't be able to stop herself when it came to his brother, but he also knew she needed her vengeance. After all, it was perhaps the only thing he'd never been able to give her while she was alive all those centuries before.

K slid to a stop in the middle of the ballroom where Finn was still shackled. He turned his head towards her and noticed an odd expression, but didn't realize what it meant. He should have. He mistook the blank look on her face as apprehension or fear.

"Ah, the house girl returns." He jeered. "Tell me, does Niklaus still have you bring his bath water, or simply draw it for him?"

K took measured steps towards the man in chains. Her mind flashed with things to do to him.

"What's the matter?" he continued as she drew closer. "Can't speak unless _daddy_ gives you permission?"

Another set of footsteps in the background drew his attention. Finn tore his eyes from K and peered over her shoulder. Klaus was the source.

"Trust me brother," he said leisurely. "Daddy doesn't have to give her permission for anything."

The smirk on Klaus's face made Finn's smug attitude falter. His dark eyes slowly shifted to the young woman standing directly in front of him well within arm's reach. K shared the same wicked grin as his brother. Something within the smile and K's eyes made Finn's blood run cold.

"But we did come to an agreement, for the time being at least." Klaus continued. "I've managed to barter for your life, brother. Though to be honest, after what you put Kali through, there's no telling how long she'll adhere to it."

Finn watched as K's lips curled back over her protruding fangs in a sinister smile. Any confidence Finn once held was gone as he looked into her bloodshot eyes.

"You will scream," she said in a low, deep growl that showed the animal within. "You will beg, and you will know the pain you put me through. I promise."


	31. Chapter 31

**In anticipation for the coming episode, I've decided to upload this early. I'm seriously right on the show's ass, so I can't guarantee a new one will be up tomorrow night, but I hope you enjoy this in the mean time. :)**

**Chapter 31**

Each time Finn tried to stand on his own, he was met with a sharp tug of his chains which in turn took him off his feet and again let K pull him along. He struggled to either stand of hold the chains, anything to keep the cuffs from digging into his wrists, but it was difficult.

K had unwrapped him from the banister and held his chain securely in her hand. Instead of guiding him, she simply walked away. With a sharp yank, Finn was forced to his knees in order to catch himself and with another tug, he was taken to the ground completely. Soon, she was pulling him behind her by his chain like a stray animal on a leash or a sack of something too heavy.

Klaus couldn't fight the smile at the sight. He enjoyed seeing Finn dragged through the house on his back, but the witch found it nothing but angering. No matter how often he tried, she never let him get enough balance to stand so eventually he simply stopped trying.

K dragged Finn through the halls and into another room in the back. It was like the others with its old furniture and the like, but this one had a substantial table in the middle. Lifting him easily, K tossed Finn onto the table top. He grunted from the force. With a glare to his capture, Finn again tried to sit up and again was denied the chance.

Before he could register it, he was slammed back into the table top and met with intense pressure over his chest and legs. Finn barley managed to look up in time to see K putting the finishing touches on his newest restraints.

"Are these the curtains?" he asked with mild annoyance.

K tugged the last knot just a bit to ensure it was tight and stood upright. She met his gaze with a smile that reflected the purest joy Finn had ever seen.

"Yes." She told him happily.

"I'm already shackled." He replied with annoyance as he shook his chains at her. Finn tried to keep from showing her how uncomfortable she made him.

"Oh, I know." She chimed. K took slow steps along the table until she was at his side. She leaned forward so she could look down at him. "But these," she took his right wrist and held it up so he could see. "These only work so long as the structural integrity of your wrist remains intact."

"The structural-"

Before the sentence could be uttered, K flexed her grip. With as little effort as one would use to open the top to a can of soda, K shattered the bones in Finn's wrist and turned them to dust. He opened his mouth wide and howled in pain. K's smile widened.

~!~

The sounds traveling through the manor sent chills down everyone's spine. It forced both Marcel and Kol to look up in no true direction, but look up just the same.

The scream echoed for a few seconds, lingering in the distance, but eventually began to fade. When silence returned, both young men in the library were a little too stunned to remark, but Marcel rebounded first.

"That sounds nasty." He teased as he reached for a napkin. He wore a broad smile just to keep Kol uncomfortable, but the young man was still looking in the direction of the scream.

"The bloody hell is Nik doin' to Finn now…" Kol mumbled under his breath.

"Nothing." Klaus chimed when he sauntered into the room. He drew their eyes easily. "I'm not the one-"

Another horrible scream rolled through the halls of the compound, silencing Klaus along with everything else under the roof until it died down a moment later.

"I'm not the one in there with him."

"Then who?" Kol pressed. Klaus only smiled. "You'd let someone torture our brother?"

Marcel could tell Kol was offended and surprised by the fact, but unlike the Original now in a witch body, Marcel had been more than capable of spying on earlier conversations.

"What's K doing to him in there?" he asked Klaus, ignoring Kol's questions entirely.

Klaus only shrugged. Kol looked from one to the other, still conveying his shock until his mind began to put the clues together. Understanding was soon the dominating expression.

"The house girl." He said. "You're letting her have a go at Finn then, hm?"

"There a problem with that, little brother?" Klaus baited.

To their surprise, Kol shrugged lazily as much as his tethered form would allow and shook his head.

"Seriously?" Marcel asked. "You don't care that Klaus is letting someone torture your brother?"

It wasn't that he was trying to start a fight between Kol and Klaus, only that he was surprised by Kol's lack of empathy.

"You weren't there, Marcellus." Kol said simply. "I may be, quite literally it seems, a son of a bitch, but I never tortured children."

The answer both surprised Klaus and warmed his heart a bit. He wasn't sure why, but the small bit of respect he once held for his younger brother just had a hint of life breathed back into it.

"Now then, where were we?" Klaus asked, shifting the conversation from the pain going on in the other room to what he needed.

~!~

Finn was breathing heavily as he tried to remain conscious. His eyes were fluttering, his lips were parted and a thin sheen of sweat had gathered on his brow. He looked like she'd broken every bone in his body when she hadn't.

K had dragged a chair from the other side of the room closer. She was sitting in it beside the table with her legs propped up next to Finn. She was content to watch him suffer in relative silence for the moment.

"Stay awake Finn," she said when he began to drift. K nudged his broken wrist with the toe of her shoe forcing him violently into awareness. "I'm not finished yet."

"The hell do you want from me, hm?" he breathed. "Do you plan to kill me?"

"No," she sighed nonchalantly. "I gave Klaus my word I wouldn't so I won't, but that doesn't mean we're not going to have a bit of fun first."

"A thousand years," he said heavily. "And you're still following him around. Nothing changes."

"That's not _quite_ how it happened."

"And yet, here you are."

"Here I am." She repeated. K stood, pushed her chair back and leaned over Finn. He stared up at her with a tired expression. "You surprise me, you know that?" he cocked a brow, but remained silent. "I thought you might try to beg, or plead, or something."

He scoffed, "I'm not so easily swayed."

"And yet you're ready to pass out just because a few broken wrists." She leaned just a bit closer. "What's the matter Finn, forget what it's like to be human? To be fragile and so easily hurt? And somehow, I was a threat. You, the big bad Original, was afraid of a little, weak, teenage girl."

"I wasn't frightened of you." He said through a tight jaw. Finn had taken to staring up at the white ceiling instead of the woman hovering. He heard her scoff and saw her move out of his periphery and back to her seat. "I was jealous." He admitted despite himself.

K didn't immediately speak. Daringly, Finn turned his head enough to see her staring at him with something he could only describe as skeptical disbelief marring her features. He expected as much if she'd ever heard the truth, but Finn knew he had to be honest. If anything, it might save him from further torture.

"Niklaus doted on you." He said as he rolled his head back toward the ceiling. "Offered you any and everything possible while denying his own family –his blood- the only things we ever desired."

"Which was?"

K didn't know why she asked or if she even believed him, but she couldn't help it. The conversation was something akin to a train wreck. She may not want to 'look', but she just couldn't help it. She had to know more.

"Our own lives." He sighed. "Rebekah only desired love, Elijah stability, Kol freedom… yet we could never escape Niklaus's ever prominent shadow. Between his rage towards our parents, need to break his ridiculous curse, denial of our needs and his _obsession_ with you –a human of all things-" Finn paused. He took a deep breath and exhaled it loudly as he remembered things a thousand years gone. "I was the only one willing to act, to defy the temperamental child." He rolled his head to her again. "And you were how I would do it."

"So," she said under her breath as her mind wrapped itself around what she was being told. "Because you were too afraid to stand up to your little brother," she didn't bother hiding her sarcasm. "You attack and nearly kill me."

"You were his weakness." Finn said flatly. "And still are." K narrowed her eyes on the man speaking so easily about something that bothered her greatly. "He won't always be there to save you, little girl."

Her gaze turned into a glare. More than willing to end their strange conversation, K raced forward and sank her teeth freely into Finn's neck. He howled again in pain as she drank from him without reservation. Honestly, K had never tasted nor heard anything so sweet before in her life.

~!~

K didn't know when the sun had set, but she knew she was having fun watching Finn struggling to hang onto life. The smile that touched her bloody lips hadn't faded since she fed on him. She'd long since regained her seat and was sitting back watching him fade and listening to his heart slow.

Without warning, K felt her body pulse with pain like she'd been hit. It jolted her out of her pleasurable bubble and forced her to listen to her surroundings. Klaus was fighting someone. Biting into her wrist, K quickly pressed it to Finn's lips and healed him just a bit before racing towards him. Whatever he was doing –or having done to him- K had to stop it or risk being hurt herself.

When she made it to the courtyard, she saw Klaus squaring himself against someone she didn't expect to see and Marcel lying motionless at the base of the stairs. She immediately leapt over the railing and landed in the middle of the courtyard.

"Klaus, don't!" she yelled as he gripped Davina and threw her through the air like a ragdoll.

She raced for Klaus and put herself between him and Davina while she tried to stand.

"Stop." She told him sternly. He glowered angrily at her.

"This girl," he pointed at the witch. "Has dared come into our home and attack me. I'm simply defending myself."

"Regardless," she said to his surprise. "I'm not going to let you hurt her."

He looked at her in shock. Davina had finally brought herself to her feet. While she was slightly glad K willing stood up for her, she had other plans.

"Sorry," Davina said forcing K to turn and face her. "But this is between me and Klaus."

With a flick of the wrist, Davina sent K flying into the courtyard again and turned her attention back to Klaus. His gaze turned murderous.

He sailed towards her and wrapped his arms around her body, spinning her until her back touched his chest.

"That wasn't a very good idea, little witch." He hissed into her ear.

K looked up and saw his face shift.

"Klaus, don't!" she yelled fruitlessly.

He sank his teeth into Davina's neck and drank. She screamed in pain. K pushed herself up, ready to tear Klaus from Davina, but she wouldn't get the chance. Almost immediately, she felt something take hold. Her footing wavered the same instant Klaus released Davina.

K was brought to her knees. She tried to push herself up and reach the man who'd collapsed onto the ground unconscious, but she could manage little more than a step before being brought down again. Her body pulsed with pain, her head ached and her stomach turned and shifted repeatedly. She felt like she had the poison from the assassin's bullets running through her body again.

"What'd you do?" she asked breathily.

"Taken care of a problem." Davina said simply. When she turned, she was surprised to see K having such trouble standing. "I'm sorry about that, but I had no choice. I had to do this. You'll heal soon."

K shook her head and even that hurt. She wanted to tell Davina that it wasn't being tossed that affected her so much, but she couldn't seem to focus enough. Instead, Davina soon began a conversation with Kol and Marcel began to wake.

The three of them were busy talking to each other while K continued to try and reach Klaus. She was going to feed him her blood. While it likely wouldn't do anything in the ways of reversing what the witch had done, she had no choice but to try. If anything, she had to save herself.

"No," Davina snapped. "Klaus is the problem. I'm going to drain him and send him to the bottom of a very deep ocean."

"No," K breathed. The word came out a bit gurgled and heavy. The three who'd been talking amongst themselves gave her their attention. "You're not."

"Yes," Davina asserted. "I am. After everything he's done, how can you stand there and defend him?"

"Forgetting everything he's ever done," she said so effortlessly it made Davina's jaw clenched. "We're linked."

"I know. That's why I'm not going to kill him." She said simply. "I'm going to keep him alive so none of you die, but that doesn't mean he get's to _live._"

K shook her head. She'd taken to leaning against a column because she didn't have the strength to stand on her own.

"No, I mean _we're_ linked." She pointed from Klaus to herself and back a few times so Davina would get it. "Everything that happens to him, happens to me."

"What do you mean?" Marcel asked curiously.

K took a deep breath and sighed again. Talking as much as she was forced to was making her a bit dizzy.

"Every time he's hurt, I get hurt too." She said. "Right now, I can feel that poison running through my body. If you bleed him and sink him, you might as well do it to me too."

"You serious?" Marcel asked. K nodded heavily. "How's that even possible?"

"I don't know." She mumbled. "But I can't let you do that."

"Too bad." Davina shrugged. Her answer was a bit surprising to the vampire who'd only been there to help her. "Look, I'm sorry you guys are linked, but if getting rid of him means I have to get rid of you too, than I'm going to do it. The world would be a better place without him."

"Hey," Kol interjected softly. "I know Nik's a bit of an ass, but we'll need him to go against Esther."

"I don't give a damn about Esther." Davina snapped. "I don't have a problem with her."

"Yeah," a new voice chimed. "Well I sure as hell do." Cami emerged from the shadows, storming into the compound with determination. She noticed Klaus and K's weakening form not too far from his. "Do I even want to know?"

Marcel shrugged. Davina tried to talk the blond out of being there, but Cami had come with specific intent.

The four of them headed towards the seating area not too far from the stairs. Cami was ready to join them, but again caught sight of K. Setting her things down, she moved towards the withering vampire. K was looking sadly over her shoulder at Klaus and hadn't noticed Cami until she spoke.

"You okay?" she asked kindly.

K, who was leaning against the wall and slumped over with her hands on her knees, looked up at Cami.

"Peachy-keen." She lied. It was clear she was feeling whatever was happening to Klaus.

"Is this like the stake?"

K nodded heavily. "Something like that, yeah."

"Do uh…" Cami hesitated briefly. "Do you need some help?"

K's brows came together and before she could stop it, a weak laugh left her lips.

"Sure," she said, surprising them both. "Why not?"

With a soft smile, Cami laced K's arm around her shoulder and helped her to the couches where the others stood listening.

"Do I even want to know about the blood?" she asked, remarking on the red smeared over K's lips.

"Probably not." K said honestly.

"Fair enough."

When they reached the couches, Cami let go of K so she could fall into a seat. She let out a satisfied groan when she did. Cami took her seat on the couch by Davina so they could examine the wounds along her spine.

"That's mother's handiwork alright." Kol said.

"What the hell is it?"

"A preparation spell, of sorts." He said. "She's turning you into a vessel."

Those who knew what that meant sighed and shook their heads. Cami was obviously confused.

"It means," Marcel explained. "That she's prepped your body so someone can jump into it."

"Oh my god…" Cami mumbled.

"How many of these does she have walking around?" K asked Kol.

"Hard to say." He admitted. "In a pinch, she can simply shove a soul into another body, but with regular humans it's a bit difficult. You see, witches are open to magic so it makes them easier to use, but humans like you," he pointed to Cami. "You need to be prepared."

Cami's face turned dark. "Where's Vincent?"

Eyes shifted to K.

"Upstairs in the library, lashed to a table." She said. "He should be up for a conversation."

With quick directions from K, Cami stormed upstairs to confront the man responsible.

~!~

K was slumped deeply in her chair. She wanted nothing more than for her torture to end, but she didn't know by whose hand it would. She didn't know if she'd magically come out of it, or if Davina would finally relent. Thankfully, it was the latter.

The same moment Klaus breathed a fresh breath of life, K reflected the same. The weight of the poison fled her just as quickly as it did him.

"Then did I really lose?" he quipped as he gathered himself.

"You arrogant ass!" he heard K call from her seat. Klaus looked up and noticed her stand. Her eyes turned to him. "Will you please remember that this shit doesn't just affect you?"

His arrogant smile faltered than faded completely. He gave her a short, soft nod of acknowledgement to silently tell her he was sorry when he spotted the blood.

"Did you happen to leave Finn in one piece?" he asked.

"I promised, didn't I?"

His smile returned and he nodded again. A smile tugged at her lips as well.

Klaus went to speak with Kol and Marcel to ready themselves for what was to come when Rebekah called him. Fear shot through his body when his sister told him Elijah's mind seemed more fractured than they originally thought. After ensuring Finn was secure within his coffin, Klaus charged towards the front door. He wrangled Hayley on the way.

The moment he touched the door handle, he paused. He thought briefly over something before apparently coming to a conclusion. Turning sharply, he walked passed Hayley again and into the courtyard.

"Kali!" he bellowed so she could hear him no matter where he was. "Kalliope!"

"I hate it when you call me that." She sighed. He saw her emerge from a ground floor archway wiping the blood from her face with a damp rag. "What is it?"

"Come with me." He said flatly as she continued to close the distance between them.

"Where?" she didn't like the odd way he was acting.

He offered her his hand.

"To find Hope." He replied simply.

K's actions stopped in the middle of wiping off them final smear of blood. Her eyes danced from Klaus to Hayley and back again. She knew what he meant.

"Are… are you sure you want me there too?" she stammered. "Isn't this a family thing?"

A smile tugged at the corner of his full lips.

"Precisely." He said. "Come on."

Still too surprised by the offer to refuse, K took his hand. She barely managed to toss the rag away before being led out of the compound with Hayley right behind them.

Klaus squeezed her hand just a bit tighter than before in anticipation and K couldn't help but let herself feel the same joy she knew he did. But they should have known better… they should always know better.


	32. Chapter 32

**Since this is -I believe- the midseason finale, I'm going to try and stretch these out a bit to try and keep you guys slated. :) I hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 32**

The trio drove through the city streets and soon merged onto an interstate that would take them out of Louisiana. Klaus reached into his back pocket and handed K his phone. She was sitting beside him with Hayley nervously twitching in the back seat.

"If you'd be so kind." He said as K took his phone. He saw her hesitate briefly. She needed and explanation as to the purpose of him giving her the phone. "Rebekah sent me the address. Can you type it into the GPS please?"

She nodded and opened the text messages. The moment she saw where it was they planned to go, her brows came together.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

Klaus, like most of their species, could pay passing attention to the road. With their reflexes and incredible sight, they were capable of dividing their attention, so he noticed her odd expression.

"This is my house." She said, showing him the Arkansas address. "How'd she-" K paused and nodded to herself when she began to understand. "Oh… so _that's_ what was on the piece of paper."

This time Klaus was the one who stared at her curiously. She explained.

"I wrote the address down, but had Elijah compel me to forget what was on it the moment we left Rebekah." She said before her voice dropped sadly. "So no one would know where they went."

A soft, appreciative smile touched his lips. He would have asked why she didn't have him do it instead of Elijah, but he didn't have to. Klaus was fairly certain even K was aware he'd manipulate the situation more than she was willing to allow. Both knew Klaus would likely compel her as she asked, but secretly force her to give him the address as well leaving her with no memory he'd done so. Elijah was the better choice.

K proceeded to add the address to the GPS and soon the directions were being spoken to them aloud. When she set her arm back down on the center console, Klaus reached over. He gently threaded his fingers through hers and soon held her hand. She looked at their conjoined touch curiously, surprised by the tenderness she was being showed so openly. When she looked up at him again, Klaus noticed and smiled kindly when he turned to her.

"Thank you." He said warmly.

K returned the sentiment, squeezed his hand just a bit tighter than before.

"You're welcome."

~!~

The drive was long and those in the car found it difficult to think of anything other than the purpose behind it. Hayley hadn't spoken in nearly two hours. She sat in the backseat, staring out the window and chewing on her thumbnail. It would splinter and bleed, then heal and give her something to chew on all over again. It gave her something to do, so neither sitting in the front said anything whenever they smelled the blood.

Finally, the speakers chimed telling them they'd arrived at their destination. Hayley perked and began to look around desperately for a home she couldn't see.

"Where is it?" she asked desperately.

"Just up the road." K replied. "The driveway's about a half mile long. You'll see the house just after we turn," K paused. They drove around the wide bend in the dirt road and passed the trees that blocked their sight. A large county home soon appeared and K smiled. "There it is."

Hayley's breath caught in her throat and they could hear it. K only smiled wide, seeing Hayley move uncomfortably and nervously in the backseat. She was ready to leap out of the car entirely, but held off.

Klaus's jaw had gone tight and his hand held K's so much harder than before. It would have broken a human's hand, but she didn't mind. He'd all but stopped breathing when he spotted a little pink bundle resting in Elijah's arms.

When the car came to a stop, Hayley didn't bother waiting on anyone. She threw open the back door and raced forward while Klaus and K took a little longer to do so. She hesitated, but soon embraced her little girl.

Klaus soon made it close enough to the small grouping of people. Hayley saw him staring at Hope as though just being near him would either force her to break or taint her, but she wasn't willing to let him remain behind. Hayley stepped forward and offer him their child. Klaus happily took her. The sight of him holding the infant warmed the hearts of everyone there.

"Kalli," Rebekah said after a few moments of letting Klaus linger in reverent silence with Hope. "How am I not surprised you'd be here?"

"I don't know," K replied as she took steps towards the blond advancing on her. "Because even blondes have their moments?"

Rebekah's smile widened as did K's. When they reached one another, Rebekah opened her arms and ushered K into a hug which the brunette returned without hesitation.

"It's so good to see a familiar face." Rebekah sighed as she squeezed K once more before parting. "Even if it is yours."

K laughed lightly and nodded. "Likewise."

The teasing was light and half-hearted. Any animosity that was once between the two old vampire women was long since passed in light of everything else. It was nice having a _friend_ that you've known for so long.

"And brother," Rebekah said as she stepped around K towards Klaus.

She wanted to hug him too, but he still held Hope and didn't look like he planned to let her go any time soon. Rebekah understood the desire and elected instead to kiss Klaus on the cheek.

"Well come on then," Rebekah chimed. "Kalli, give us a hand while the parents dote on the adorable little angel."

"And what exactly am I helping you with?" she asked as she joined Rebekah in a walk towards a pile of wood.

"We're building a bonfire." She said with a wide smile.

It was contagious and soon everyone else bore a smile of their own.

Klaus walked alongside Hayley back to the house. He, Elijah and Hayley took to sitting on the raised porch, doting on Hope and pouring so much love into the child while Rebekah and K smiled, talked amongst themselves and began to task of stacking wood.

"Where's your necklace?" Rebekah found herself asking when she noticed K wasn't wearing a hint of jewelry.

"Oh," K paused. She glanced down. After everything that had happened, she completely forgot she'd left her trinkets behind long ago. "I don't really know, actually. I haven't had it in awhile."

"I have it," Elijah chimed from the background causing them to turn. "Along with your ring, bracelet and the journal you seemed bent on destroying."

K fidgeted and looked like she wanted to blush her embarrassment.

"Thank you." She told him. Elijah nodded and went back to the baby.

"What I mean is, isn't it your talisman?" Rebekah asked as she and K brought four long, slender sticks to the pile. They were meant to be the frame. "Isn't it what keeps you from burning?" K nodded, but didn't immediately offer any further information. Rebekah cocked a brow. "You see where I'm going with this, don't you?"

K smirked. She and Rebekah dug the ends of their sticks into the ground around the base of the pit and soon joined the other ends to create the triangular frame they would rest every chunk of wood against later. Rebekah handed K a length of rope to tie the top together.

"Well," K sighed as she laced the rope through the framework to secure it. "A few months ago, I had some friends implant the rest of that gem into my body so I wouldn't have to worry about losing my necklace."

She spoke the sentence so matter-of-factly, it took those listening a moment to realize exactly what she'd said.

"Where?" Rebekah asked.

"My heart." K offered in the same nonchalant tone. She tied off the rope and stepped back to make sure it would stay. When it didn't move, she noticed the others eying her with a combination of surprise and mild disgust. "What?"

"I can't decide if that's brilliant," Rebekah said. She was the first to speak. "Or a bit morbid."

K snorted a soft laugh and shrugged.

"Yeah well, I don't have to worry about a broken chain or something else ridiculously trivial anymore."

"When did this happen?" Klaus asked from the background.

"After you banished me from New Orleans." She answered with a hint of bitterness still in her voice at the memory.

"You what?" Rebekah laughed.

Klaus grumbled and glowered lightly. He passed Hope to Hayley and stood to join the two women in the distance.

"Let's not get into it right now," he said primarily to K. "Alright?" She said nothing only continued to gather wood and pile it. "We have more important things to discuss at the moment."

"Such as?" Rebekah asked leadingly. He noted her teasing tone, but elected instead to ignore it.

"Such as what mother's been up to." He replied. Rebekah's smile faltered. "And an interesting little thing Finn had to say."

"Well," she sighed. "This should be good." She mumbled in irritation before spotting the other two lingering in the back. "Come on you lot, give us a hand."

Elijah smiled to himself and Hayley grumbled, but they did eventually join Rebekah, K and Klaus at the bonfire pit after ensuring Hope was securely strapped into her seat.

"Now then," Rebekah chimed. "Story time."

Klaus nodded as he lifted up a piece of wood.

"Evidently, our family is yet further cursed than we once thought."

"Oh goodie. A _happy_ story." Rebekah muttered sarcastically.

"According to our dear brother," Klaus continued. "The first born of every generation is cursed."

"Curse on the first born? The bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Rebekah asked as she set a piece of wood down.

"Well, according to Finn, our sister Freya didn't die of plague. Instead, she was taken as payment by our aunt Dahlia who in turn cursed the first born Mikaelson for all eternity."

"Is that true?" Hayley asked nervously as she added her own sticks and the pile continued to grow.

"It is if you're to believe Finn." Elijah said. "Who learned it from that bastion of truth, our mother."

"Well no wonder Finn hates us." Rebekah added. "He loses Freya, a sister he adores, and instead got a judgy pack of siblings who find him unbearably dull."

"Great," Hayley sighed. "So is there any chance of us running into your lonely aunt Dahlia anytime soon?"

"That fable is over a thousand years old. Dahlia is long dead." Elijah replied.

"Like Esther?" Hayley jabbed under her breath.

"I've said it before and I will say it again," K sighed. "Your family has a disturbing aversion to death."

Rebekah and Elijah smiled to themselves because the statement was so true, but Hayley and Klaus felt the ice cold chill of truth touch their necks.

"No one is going to hurt Hope," Klaus said to Hayley. "Because no one is going to find her."

Hayley wasn't sure she believed him as much as he wanted her to, but she nodded regardless. She was desperate to believe Klaus would keep their daughter safe, so she would.

"And that's enough wood now, Rebekah. We don't need to burn down the whole bloody state of Arkansas."

"Well," she said as she batted her hands together to rid them of debris. "We're only missing one last ingredient."

"No we're not." Klaus snapped quickly.

"Yes we are." She beamed. "Back me up Elijah."

"I suspect," Elijah chuckled. "Klaus would rather choke on the ashes."

"What are you all talking about?" Hayley pressed.

"It's tradition." K answered before the others did. "They write down a wish on a piece of paper and toss it into the fire for luck."

"It's an antiquated ritual." Klaus grumbled.

"And hum-bug to you too." K snapped at him with a smile that his siblings soon shared.

"Hope's first bonfire season." Hayley said to herself. "I like it. We're doing it."

When she turned to leave, Elijah, Rebekah and K smiled at Klaus's bitter expression. Rebekah soon followed after Hayley leaving Elijah, K and Klaus by the pyre.

"Oh lighten up, Klaus." K teased. She took a few steps towards him. "You used to love doing this. You made an event of it back in the day."

"That was a long time ago." He said. "This is just a superstitious task that never works."

Her brows came together slowly.

"I used to love this when I was a kid." She said, surprising Klaus by her declaration. Neither of them saw Elijah slip away while they spoke. "I remember when we were in Marsielle, when you had that manor on the sea. You invited the whole village. The pyre felt like it was ten stories high," her voice began to turn almost giddy with the exciting memory. "I'd never seen a fire so big. There was music and food. A dozen pigs lined the fire on spits. It was incredible. Why don't you want to do that again?"

A soft smile had touched his lips during her explanation. He couldn't help it. His mind reverted back to that time and with her description, he felt like he was seeing it again. He could almost smell the roasting meats and the burning wood next to the beautiful ocean in the background.

"You were only a child then." He said. It was true. At the time, K was only thirteen years old, a great deal younger than she currently was.

"It's one of the few memories I've kept through the years." She answered honestly. "How longs it been since you've had a bonfire?"

"Centuries." He answered honestly. "It became pointless when the wishes remained unanswered." His smile faded. "They only became memories of everything I couldn't have."

K stepped forward and closed the distance between them. She smiled as warmly as she could as she reached for his hand and took it.

"Well then, sounds like it's time to make some new ones." She said simply. "Come on."

Still holding his hand, K led Klaus back into the house.


	33. Chapter 33

**Sorry I'm a day late guys. I had this ready, just forgot to post it. haha. Hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 33**

"Why is Klaus so against this wish thing?" Hayley asked. She, Rebekah and K were in the living room while Elijah was outside and Klaus in the dinning room with Hope.

Rebekah paused. She was in the middle of writing her wish on a piece of paper as was K. Both young women hesitated, but only one knew the answer. K and Hayley watched Rebekah, but when the blond looked up, her eyes first darted to K briefly before landing on Hayley.

"He stopped believing wishes could be answered." She answered slowly. "Nik just… lost whatever hope he had when we were younger."

"Why?"

Hayley didn't know if she pressed because she knew they'd answer her or because she was curious. Whatever the reason, she wanted to know and of everyone in the house, Rebekah would probably be the most likely to answer her.

This time, when Rebekah looked at K she didn't divert. K sat a bit straighter and fidgeted slightly.

"How does my death have anything to do with this?" K asked.

"Because after you died, he stopped caring." She answered simply. "That bonfire we had the month before you died was the last one for nearly two hundred years. Klaus refused to do it anymore because he knew it was your favorite."

No one spoke for a moment or two as they let the information seep in. It seemed both ridiculous and completely believable at the same time.

"Wow." Hayley mumbled. She'd taken to staring at K too, but the vampire refused to look at anyone. "That's a little intense."

"Yes well," Rebekah sighed heavily. "If there's one thing I'm certain you've learned about my brother these passed months, it's that Nik doesn't do anything with only half his heart. If it's worth his time, he puts everything into it."

"I'm starting to get that, yeah." She nodded. "Well here," Hayley grabbed the pad of paper and a spare pencil. "I'm going to get the Grinch to write something."

"Good luck." Rebekah mused.

The pair watched Hayley leave and knew there was no way Klaus was going to write something. Still smiling to herself, Rebekah finished her petition and folded the piece of paper into a small square. K was having more trouble. She'd only gotten so far as _I wish._

"Come on then," Rebekah teased lightly. "I'm sure there's something you'd like."

"And what'd you wish for, hm?"

"What I always ask for." She joked in a sarcastically sweet voice. "World peace."

K laughed before she could stop herself. She shook her head disbelievingly at the blond who continued to giggle about her little joke.

Suddenly, Hayley appeared in the door that led to the hall with Hope in her arms and a stern stare aimed at K.

"He's an asshole." She said before leaving completely.

Both K and Rebekah stared at the area Hayley had once stood.

"I think that might've been a record." Rebekah said, remarking on the short time Hayley had been in the same room as Klaus.

"Yeah." K sighed. She pushed herself out of her seat. "I wonder what that ass said now."

Rebekah smiled to herself as K left the room in search of Klaus. He was still sitting at the kitchen table, but his own smirk had faded. He was sitting with his elbows propped up, chin in his hands and a distant look in his eyes. He barely seemed to notice K in the doorway.

"Yes?" he asked as he tried to look as though he wasn't just in his own world.

K entered the room and sat across from Klaus. En route, she noticed the crumpled paper on the floor and picked it up. Klaus said nothing as she read what he'd written. She sighed heavily before looking at him.

"Seriously?" she shook the piece of paper at him. "You don't have to be an ass you know. Just let her be."

"How can I when she leaves herself open for such easy mockery?" he asked with the same smirk he'd donned since she appeared.

"Restrain yourself then." K said simply. He said nothing and noticed her eye the blank paper in front of him. "There's nothing you want?"

When she looked back up, she noticed Klaus's face had gone blank.

"No." he replied shortly.

"Liar."

"You so sure?"

"Yeah. And it's not even a good one. I know there's at least one thing you want."

Klaus shrugged and fell back into his seat. His eyes drifted to the distance and again lost focus.

"What's the point?" he asked rhetorically under his breath. "When the whole bloody world seems content to remove me from any symbol of happiness?"

"First of all," K sighed. "Stop, okay? Enough of the self-pity." He glanced up to her. "Secondly, instead of being content to ruin this moment with your ever growing skepticism and regular _winning_ personality, why don't you try to enjoy it for what it is." She sounded as though she was almost begging him to relax. "There are already a limited amount of happy times in a normal life, even less in ones as long as ours, so why don't you just relish in this while it's here? Hm?"

Klaus didn't speak and she honestly didn't expect him to, but she felt the need to try and make it better. Like with physical pain, K was able to feel some of Klaus's emotions too. They weren't nearly as strong, but when he was enveloped completely in one –like his dread and anger- K was privy to it.

"Write your wish." She told him before standing and leaving the room completely.

K walked through the familiar floor plan of the house she once called her own. It was a home that needed a family in it and it seemed to have finally happened.

A soft whimpering caught her ear. K stepped through the hall and into the formal living room where Hayley had taken Hope. The infant was becoming restless, shifting in her mother's arms and squirming. K stepped closer.

"She hates me." Hayley mumbled. It didn't sound like she believed her words, but they came out regardless.

"Nonsense." K replied. "May I?"

Hayley handed K the little child. If Hayley had the slightest inkling that anything would happen to her, she never would've given her daughter to anyone, but she knew she could trust K. With a nod, she offered the baby.

K bounced Hope on her hip, swayed gently in her spot and hushed her softly.

"There now, it's okay," she sang in a sweet voice. "She's just getting a little fussy, that's all."

Hayley watched. She was a little surprised K took to the infant so easily until she remembered the vast majority of her life had been dedicated to another family.

"How many Bennetts have you taken care of?" she found herself asking.

"Well," K sighed. She had a lot of math to do. "978 years… and Theana was pregnant when we met so…" Hayley tried not to be shocked by the years uttered and simply waited for the answer. "64," K finally answered. "Minus the century or so I wasn't allowed near the family."

"You've babysat 64 Bennett children?"

"Roughly." K explained. "I was charged with watching the eldest daughter. While they were young, I protected all of them, but eventually always moved off towards the eldest daughter to ensure the continuation of the family line."

"Wow," Hayley mumbled. "You're like a bloodthirsty Mary Poppins."

A disbelieving smile crossed K's lips as she looked at the hybrid staring up at her from the couch.

"Thanks?" she said with a hint of a laugh. "I don't really know what to do with that."

"Well considering who this girl's immediate family is, take it as a compliment." Hayley said with a smile of her own.

"Fair enough." K nodded. When Hope began to fuss again, she became the focus of K's attention. "I think she might be hungry. You got a bottle?"

"Yeah," Hayley pushed herself up. "The stuffs in the kitchen. I'll make one."

She stepped to K and Hope and took the infant's hand in hers. After placing a gentle kiss on the baby's knuckles, Hayley went into the kitchen to make her daughter lunch.

"Shhh now," K whispered softly as she took wide steps from side to side in order to keep Hope constantly moving. "Mommy's making you lunch."

The little girl looked up at her with big, beautiful blue eyes and K felt her icy heart melt. Her eyes tinted pink.

"You have your daddy's eyes." She said, continuing to keep her voice delicate and low. "Brilliant and wicked." She smiled as did Hope at the phrase. "But what are you? Werewolf? Witch? Human?" K kept swaying in her spot. Hope reached for her hand and wrapped her tiny digits around K's index finger. "No," she breathed. "You're a Mikaelson. That means you're survivor."

Klaus had appeared in the doorway, but went unnoticed by K whose back was to him. When Hayley made it to the kitchen, he asked where Hope was. She replied with K, so he sought them out. He came up on the two when K had told Hope she had his eyes and elected to remain behind and listen. So, he leaned against the doorjamb, crossed his arms against his chest and spied.

"So beautiful." The words came out as little more than a sigh. K's eyes began to glass and well with tears the longer Hope held her finger and looked up with her perfect blue eyes. She'd never wanted a child more than in that moment. "What I wouldn't give to have one of you for my own."

Her declaration cracked in her throat and while it was spoken softly, Klaus felt it resonate. His smile at the scene faded immediately and soon he felt tears burn his eyes as well.

Unaware she was being watched, K slipped into what she used to do while watching over the Bennett infants. She sang to them.

"_Oh all the money that e'er I spent,"_ she sang sweetly. Klaus felt an immediately jolt rush down his spine. _"I spent it in good company."_

K went on to sing _The Parting Glass_, a song he knew and one he'd heard her sing before in his dream. Klaus's mind went back to the dream he'd had months ago while Hayley was still pregnant. He remembered in it getting a call from Hayley saying Hope was missing only to find her in the courtyard of the manor in New Orleans being held by K, rocked much as she was now, and being sung to with the same tune that left K's lips. It was startlingly familiar and brought with it the same ache he'd felt before.

Hayley emerged in the doorway beside Klaus with Hope's bottle. She'd intended to not take a break in step, but hesitated once she saw what held Klaus so captive.

When the song came to an end a few short minutes later, Hayley cleared her throat to alert K to her presence. She was content to let them linger, but the bottle would go cold in the meantime.

K turned abruptly and realized she was being watched. She sniffed and forced a smile. She didn't know a few tears had slipped through her lashes so she didn't know to remove them.

Together, Klaus and Hayley stepped into the room. Hayley took a seat on the couch and waited for K to hand over Hope. She did without hesitation. When she stood upright, Klaus was standing less than a foot away. He reached out and gently trailed the back of his index finger down the trails of tears on K's cheeks. He soon leaned forward and kissed her softly on the cheek as well.

When he pulled back, Klaus took her hand in his.

"Come along." He said kindly.

K followed leaving Hayley alone to feed her daughter.

Together, they walked through the back door, onto the wraparound porch and into the yard. Klaus was content to simply walk and if he chose to speak, doing it where the prying ears of everyone in the house was preferred.

Motion caught the attention of the two remaining Mikaelsons sitting outside. Rebekah turned to look over her shoulder in the direction that caught Elijah's eye. She smiled softly to herself.

"They seem rather cozy again." She said before turning her attention back to Elijah who was watching the display relatively blankly. "At least for the time being." Elijah smiled weakly to himself, but continued to watch the two growing smaller in the distance. "So, what's with this banishment business then? Clearly he's not angry with her."

Elijah turned his attention back to his sister and shook his head.

"No," he answered. "It wasn't from anger."

"Then what?"

"After you left with Hope," he began in his normal, regal and calm voice. "Niklaus seemed to think that the wolves and witches wouldn't cease their attempts to destroy him. Their affiliation had become well known." Elijah thought it a bit rude to call whatever Klaus and K had an affiliation, but honestly wasn't sure what else it was for the time being. "Worried she'd become their next target, he compelled her to leave New Orleans until he said otherwise."

Rebekah's brow had risen during the explanation.

"I can't imagine that went over very well with dear little Kali."

A weak smile touched his lips briefly and again, Elijah shook his head.

"You'd be correct. She was rather… _cross_ with him for that stunt."

"Well," she sighed and sank into her seat. "Two points to Nik for caring about someone else. Apparently he's come to his senses."

"Not exactly." Elijah said with a hint of a wince Rebekah found intriguing. It was the same look he gave when there was so much more to a story and none of it delightful. She gave him an expecting look. "Kali nearly died in California. Speaking of," Elijah made a motion to reach into his jacket pocket only to remember he wasn't wearing it. "She'd written you a letter. I brought it, but it's in my jacket."

"A letter." Rebekah repeated in a deadpan voice. "The bloody hell happened?"

She wondered what would have merited someone like K writing her a letter. While the two were –in the loosest of meanings- friends, she wouldn't exactly assume they'd be pen pals.

"It seems humans have become a great deal more resourceful when it comes to our kind." He sighed. "And more than willing to weaponize anything." Rebekah's expression dropped further. "In the most basic of terms, she had an infection."

"An infection…"

"It was some sort of animal toxin concentrated to work on nearly anything supernatural." He explained heavily. "Simply put, she was _rotting_, from the inside out."

"Good Lord," Rebekah grimaced. "Are you serious?"

"Quite. I'd become aware of it only after she called Hayley. By the time I arrived, merely four days had passed and she was nearly too far gone. Almost every inch of her skin had turned gray," he said. Rebekah's face dropped. She was as aware as him what that implied. "Save her face and the very tips of her toes. I lost count of how many pints of my own blood I fed her."

"But she healed."

"It helped. It wasn't until Klaus arrived that a great deal more of the infection subsided." His eyes drifted to the area Klaus and K had disappeared in the yard. "But that seems to have brought with it a new set of problems."

"Meaning?"

Elijah gradually looked back to his sister and met her gaze.

"Apparently, now they are physically linked to one another. Whatever Klaus experiences, Kali is sure to feel as well."

"Well that's just brilliant." She replied tersely. "If I were her, I'd keep a close eye on him too. The idiot never knows when to stay out of trouble."

Elijah smiled at her teasing which Rebekah was grateful for. He seemed to be calming.

"So much has happened in your absence, sister."

"I'm beginning to gather."


	34. Chapter 34

**Sorry this is a bit late guys, but ya know, holidays and all. I hope you guys had a good week no matter what you celebrate! Enjoy the chapter!**

**Chapter 34**

Klaus and K stepped through the grounds without a word uttered between them. Their hands were still clasped together loosely, but still tightly enough neither slipped. Klaus had initially been the one to prompt the stroll, but as they walked further away from the house, he let the woman at his side guide them. After all, she once called the place her own.

K walked without thought to where she was going. Her feet seemed to know where they wanted her to go without telling her brain.

They moved through towering trees and sporadic gardens that had been planted but not maintained. The deeper into the woods they went, the clearer it became that it had been decades since anyone truly lived on the grounds. While the yard was mowed and everything in order, the tasks were easy to hire out, anything that required more attention was left to fend for itself.

Klaus had planned to ask where the young woman was leading them and how far from the main house she planned to walk, but the question never formed. K pushed aside on overhang of dead vines that blocked their view of what was ahead and stepped through it with Klaus close behind.

Revealed was a clearing, beautiful and secret in its location. A large, ancient oak tree with gnarled and twisted branches that dipped low to the ground stood proudly a few yards away. The trunk was easily as wide as a compact car and many of the lower branches were thicker than a human being. Its canopy was invisible to anyone on the ground as it towered high above everything nearby.

The grass grew close, but didn't reach the tree itself. Instead, the base was covered in small stones and slippery moss that found its way towards the tree. A shallow creek wound through the forest and around the ancient tree before disappearing again into the wild. Between the amazing sight and the sounds of both running water and birds, the place Klaus found himself in was nothing short of a mystical hideaway.

He'd been in awe of it since stepping through the dead vines to the point he didn't notice K move away from him. He hadn't noticed until he heard a creaking groan of ropes being pulled taught. The sound forced his attention to sharpen on the source.

A small swing made of nothing more than a plank of wood suspended from one of the ancient tree's lower branches was the source and K the reason. She's taken a seat on the plank that didn't look strong enough to hold an infant, and began to gently sway. Her eyes were fixed on the stream that was only a few feet from her and rambling on without the slightest hint there were others near it.

Klaus moved towards the young woman deep in thought. He didn't bother avoiding the dried leaves or branches that crunched beneath his feet because he knew he didn't have to hide.

"I built this house for Emily." She admitted when she felt Klaus behind her. She stopped swinging and gently fell back into him. Klaus did little more than reach for the ropes to the swing and held them limply. "And this swing for Elizabeth."

"Why here?" he asked somberly.

"I wanted to get her and her family away from Mystic Falls," she sighed softly and her head dropped so she could look at the pebbles beneath her feet. "Away from Katherine…"

A weak smile twitched at Klaus's lips briefly. He understood the sentiment behind the desire. After all, it was through her connection with Katherine that Emily met her end.

"This house was made for a family, but…" she hesitated to speak and eventually couldn't find the words she wanted to use.

Klaus let his hands fall from the rope and to her shoulders. Silence fell between them and both were happy for it. They didn't have anything to say and neither was going to force anything.

~~!~~

Davina and Kol were still slinking through the compound searching through everyone's things. Currently, the pair were in Elijah's room. Kol was busy with nightstands and the like, but Davina found something more interesting in the eldest brother's drawers. A box-shaped object covered in white fabric was resting right on top. With a sly smirk, Davina happily pulled it out to see what she could find.

She untied the fabric carefully because she'd already felt something shift after picking it up. She found a book and pieces of jewelry. That hadn't been what she expected, but her curiosity wasn't slated just yet.

With gentle fingers, Davina lifted the necklace and examined it. It looked familiar, though why she wasn't sure. The same could be said for the bracelet and dented ring.

"What'd ya find?" Kol asked. He stepped closer and noticed the trinkets. "Well, that's interstin'."

"Whose are they?" Davina asked as Kol examined the pieces. They were obviously female.

"Kali's." he answered simply. Kol lifted the ring and slid it as far onto his index finger as he could. "Klaus got 'em for her."

"Klaus bought someone else jewelry?" Davina asked in a low, deadpan voice.

Kol scoffed a soft laugh and shook his head as he continued tos tare at the pieces.

"I don't think brother dear's paid for anythin' in his life." He teased. "I can't believe he still has these."

"He didn't." Davina said drawing his eye. After Kol told her who they belonged to, Davina suddenly remembered seeing them on the vampire every time they met. "She still wears them. Or did."

"Hm." He mumbled to himself. "That's interesting."

"Why?"

"Cause this," he showed her the oblong ring. "He got her when she was sixteen, I believe it was. And this," he pointed to the bracelet. "Was just a couple years later."

Davina's brows slowly pulled together.

"How long has she known you guys?"

"Since she's eleven." He answered simply. Kol hadn't even thought of how strange the sentence might be until he noticed the stunned expression on Davina's face. "What?"

"She's like… a _thousand_ years old."

Kol only shrugged. Still eying him like he might be a little insane, Davina opened the book and realized quickly it was a journal of some kind complete with photos.

"Wow," she muttered as she flipped through the centuries. "This is like her whole life."

"Probably." Kol said as he stepped closer to read over her shoulder. "After awhile, you tend to forget things. Hard not to when you live so long, ya know? It's not all that uncommon for vampires to have something like this just to remember people."

Davina didn't want to comment on how sad it must be to live so long you start to forget people. Eventually, she retied the book along with the jewelry and placed it back into the drawer so she and Kol could keep looking.

~!~

Klaus and K had made it back to the house. Elijah, Hayley and Hope were outside, but Rebekah had disappeared for the moment. There was no telling where she might have gone to. It didn't matter, Klaus lit the bonfire without her.

As the flames licked at the wood and the sound of the fire crackling filled the air, Rebekah finally emerged from the house with a camera in her hands. Klaus immediately grumbled which only made the others smile.

"He really doesn't like this family thing, does he?" Hayley muttered to K.

The pair were sitting on the porch. Hayley was holding Hope, but K had decided to finish her wish for the fire.

"He doesn't like it when things go well." K corrected. As she finished her wish and began to fold the paper, she noticed Hayley giving her a disbelieving look. "I didn't say it made sense."

"Come on!" Rebekah called to the pair. "I want everyone in this."

Smiling to themselves, Hayley and K stood to join the Mikaelson siblings.

"Here Nik," Rebekah said as she handed off the camera. "Do you think you could cram us all into a selfie?"

"Niklaus is the virtuoso of cramming his family members into small spaces." Elijah replied with a smile causing everyone but Klaus to chuckle.

"Well," Klaus sighed. "I'm so glad I traveled hundreds of miles to visit my mentally ill brother only to have him insult me."

"Knock it off and just take the picture." Rebekah sighed.

Everyone slowly began to squish together in order to fit within the old camera's view. With a flick of the finger, they heard the familiar whoosh and snap. Soon, the Polaroid spit out the image. Together, they family watched as the smiling faces of themselves were revealed, frozen forever in that single moment.

"Awe," Rebekah sighed happily as she hung on Klaus's shoulder. "I wish it could always be like this."

"If wishes were horses," Elijah began.

"Then beggars would ride." Klaus finished sadly. "You're aware we have to burn this." He said to the shock of the others. "If it were to fall into the wrong hands…" he looked to his sister. "You want me to make a wish Rebekah, then here it is. I wish it didn't have to be like this, but it does and until then…"

Klaus flung the photo into the fire. The flames clung to its surface, but were quickly denied the chance to spread. Sudden movement drew their eye as ash and embers sailed in the direction they'd been guided. Turning around, the others realized K had reached into the bonfire and snatched the photo out. She stared blankly at Klaus with the picture pressed between her palms to kill whatever flame tried to consume it.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked tersely despite trying to keep the anger from his voice.

"You're not burning this picture." She said flatly.

Klaus chewed on the inside of his cheek. It was clear he was trying to keep from letting his temper take hold, but possibly losing the fight. Rebekah, Hayley and Elijah gladly stepped back and let whatever was going to happen, happen.

"Have the past events escaped your attention?" he asked sarcastically. K did little more than raise a brow. "I'll not have you risking my daughter just so you can have another token for your scrap book."

K's stare turned damn near murderous, but she never spoke. Instead, she turned her back to him and made her way inside. No one knew what to do for a moment. Her reaction –or lack there of- was too unexpected, but soon they followed after her.

They caught up with K just as she began her descent into the basement. Klaus was on her heels, and the others were behind him.

K ignored the sound of him behind her and the fact he was being so irresponsible when it came to the only picture of his daughter as she wove through the underbelly of the home. She had more important things to think about than him being ridiculous.

As she stepped through the basement, around the support beams and old things stowed there, she finally reached the far back wall. There was nothing special about it and nothing that made it stand out from the others, but it held a purpose beyond structure. With a sure hand, K pressed her fist against a section of bricks. They sighed and sank into the wall. Before Klaus could berate her for leading them on some 'treasure hunt', the wall gave way and with her fist still nestled within the bricks, K pushed against it to reveal a doorway.

Leaving the surprised group behind, K stepped through the narrow opening and into another section of the basement that had remained untouched for an untold amount of time.

By the time they finally made it into the secret room, K had already dug through the items stored and pulled out a small wooden box. Her actions went primarily unnoticed because of the shock the others felt at what they saw.

"I've been living above this the entire time?" Rebekah muttered as she and the others began to sift through the antiques and things stored beneath the house.

"Yes." K nodded. She stuffed the picture of everyone they'd just taken into a small trunk that held clothes older than Hayley.

The room hidden in the basement was a storage room of sorts. It was filled with antique furniture including a bedroom set for a child and a bassinette. There were trunks of clothes, dresses hanging from the walls, artwork leaning against crates and a thin sheen of dust covering it all. An entire household from the late nineteenth century had been shoved into a room no more than twelve square feet.

"What is all this?" Hayley asked as she picked at a once beautiful gown hanging in the corner.

K glanced up briefly as she closed the box now containing the only evidence of Hope Mikaelson.

"A forgotten life." She muttered under her breath. K turned to Klaus and noticed him eying her curiously. He knew it was meant to be the life she planned for Emily that never happened, but that wasn't what she elaborated on. "This room's been untouched for a hundred and fifty years and no one can find it unless they know its here."

"It's not safe enough."

K took a half step forward. "Don't be so ready to throw away memories. She'll never be this young again. Stop trying to destroy any semblance of happiness you get."

His brows twitched marginally, but he said nothing further on the subject. The air had become tense again and Klaus –along with the others- weren't sure what they had to add. Eventually, they all headed back into the main section of the basement and let K close the hidden door behind them.

~!~

The fire continued to burn, but the majority of the flames were invisible in the daylight. They would've lit it at night if they thought they'd have the chance. It had become commonplace to do everything immediately because waiting never guaranteed anything.

"Thank you."

The random voice forced K to look up from her seated position on the front porch. Hayley had come outside holding Hope.

"For what?" she asked the hybrid as she took a seat in the rocking chair.

"For stopping Klaus from burning that picture." Hayley answered. She gently placed Hope's bottle in her mouth. "I mean, I know he's right, but she's already four months old and we don't have a single baby picture."

K –who'd taken to looking at the fire again- smiled to herself and laughed lightly.

"What?" Hayley asked at the curious expression.

"Nothing, it's just…" she turned to meet Hayley's eye. "_None_ of us have baby pictures."

"Seriously?"

K nodded and didn't bother hiding her small smile.

"Photography's only been possible since the 1830s and there weren't any artists around back in the day to paint a baby's portrait."

"Oh my god, you people are so old."

K laughed lightly and shook her head leaving the conversation where it was.

With the dying light, the fire began to follow suit. Soon, it was little more than burning embers left to glow in the pit. Not long after, Klaus and Rebekah left to start their plan with K in toe.

After dropping Rebekah off to deal with Esther, Klaus and K drove towards the compound. Neither spoke for a while which was to be expected considering the gravity of what was coming. Klaus did have something he wanted to ask however, after seeing the wish she'd thrown into the fire.

"It'll be over soon." Klaus said as they made it through the Louisiana border.

His voice had been unexpected to say the least and despite the deep tone, it was enough to make her jump internally. K turned to look at the man beside her who refused to meet her eye.

"I promise." He finished.

K scoffed to herself before she could stop it. She didn't mean to, but his words brought the action out.

"It'll never be over." She muttered softly. "Something comes up like it always does."

"If you don't think it'll happen, then why bother wishing it?"

K slowly shifted to look at him once again. It wasn't until she hesitated to speak that Klaus realized what he'd said. It wasn't intentional, but when the fire took over the folded piece of paper her wish was written on, it curled open letting him see the words in passing. _I wish for it all to end_ was written in script lettering.

"How'd you know what I wished?"

"I'm psychic." He replied sarcastically causing her to smile softly and return her gaze to the road ahead. "Is your faith in us so little that you've taken to wishing to get what you want?"

K shook her head softly.

"It has nothing to do with whether or not I think you guys will win or lose." She said. "It's just so damn tiring." K slowly turned to the man beside her. "Why can't your family just stay dead?"

Klaus chuckled whether he meant to or not.

~~!~~

Klaus had K stay behind at the manor which she expected in most ways. He didn't want her near his mother after the way their last visit had gone and K was more than willing to remain home.

Less than a half an hour had passed before Klaus returned with Rebekah in his arms. Neither blond was moving and they had to wait for what felt like an eternity to see if the spell had worked or not. Cami was fine. Rebekah was gone.

"My mother has what's coming to her." Klaus replied cryptically. "But she's not our only concern. Apparently, she's happily bartered away my life to that sociopath Mikael." His eyes moved to K and Marcel. "And we all know what happens should he win."

"I'm not afraid of Mikael." K replied more casually than he would have expected. "He's just like every other man throwing a tantrum, nothing more."

Klaus smiled at her and her readiness to fight his father. While he had no desire for her to do so, he still thought the sentiment behind the offer was nice. Without a word, he offered his hand to her. K took it and together they walked into the depths of the house to talk about what they planned to do in regards to finding Rebekah and keeping her body safe.

With them gone, Cami feeling better and Marcel tending to Rebekah, Davina took the chance to step away and call Kol. She was glad to hear he was alright, but had to ask him about what Klaus said. Kol confirmed her fears and she knew she had to do something.

"Can you teach it to me then?" she asked under her breath so the vampires couldn't hear her.

"_Teach you what?"_ he asked.

"How to prep someone for a body jump?"

Kol hesitated for obvious reasons.

"_And why are you wantin' to know how to do that?"_

"Because if Mikael gets a hold of Klaus, I want to make sure my friends are okay." She told him sternly. "I want to make sure they have somewhere to go."

"_Fair enough. I'll see what I can do."_


End file.
